Written by The 2010 Manchester Flames wrapped up their 2020-2021 season with a sweep of two games against the NH Avalanche over at the Ice Den in Hooksett, NH. The teams had played each other several times over this oddity of a season, and each of the games were highly contested.
While there was not a lot to play for as far as standings or tournament rankings were concerned, these two teams only know one way to play. That way is to play hard and give all there is to give. The Flames earned a 5-1 victory on Saturday in one of their better efforts all season. On Sunday, the Avalanche stiffened their resolve and battled for every inch of ice, but fell to Manchester, 4-2 in the last game of the season.
It definitely was an unusual season of hockey. Truthfully though, I thank the Good Lord for the opportunity that has been a season of hockey, a season of sports, a season, and a reason for the kids to play. In my mind, kids are supposed to play. During a lifetime there are only so many days earmarked for limited responsibility and care free, unadulterated fun; pure joy. I am truly thankful on behalf of my kids, and kids everywhere, that there was hockey and other sports to help guide, direct, and be the catch all for young nervous energy, for awkward banter, all while learning about teamwork.
So, there it is. Not just another hockey season, but a much needed series of breaks from the disturbance that has been the last year of perceived reality.
A very special thanks to Coach Nick, Coach Tim, and Coach Scott for capably leading our team and allowing us all to entrust our kids to your development plan and teaching. It is not lost on me that so many kids and families want to return, again, to play for and with this group moving forward. Thank you to Shannon who runs the clock, the horn, the clicker, and keeps the score sheets, among other team necessities. Thank you to on the ice Coach Soucy as well, you are positive voice in the kids ears.
I tell everyone that I share hockey talk with about our team, our coaching staff, and our collection of hockey families. This group is very special indeed. We are so very blessed to experience the pure joy of family and the positive ‘can-do’ attitude that pervades in this group. It is truly once in a kids’ career kind of stuff. Thank you for also allowing me to doodle a few thoughts every weekend or so and to put up with my wandering mind. It’s always my pleasure. Seriously though, let us never forget, at the rink, on the rides, before and after games, or in the stands; it is always about the kids. All of the kids.
How about we meet the roster? It’s only been seven months. Here they are, listed in numerical order. These kids have provided us all with so much joy, entertainment, and excitement this season. We have such a tremendous group of players, coaches, and hockey families that it’s difficult not to mention it often. Truly, we are blessed. We are the fortunate ones. What a great season!
Here are your, our, 2010 Manchester Flames: (Pictures from the final weekend of the season)
Please remember to click on the pictures or galleries that you see and enlarge the photos. Zoom in to fully enjoy the detail of what happens so quickly on the ice, and that these 10-year-olds are up to that pace. Enjoy!
2010 Manchester Flames Squirt Major 2
#2 Forward: Ian Kaveney.
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- There is a loose puck up ahead and we need to get after it. Coach always yells, “Two on the puck!” So Ian puts it in high gear.
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- Ian runs down a loose puck and fires a puck to the front of the net against the Avs.
#6 Forward: Teddy Beal.
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- Teddy turns the net with the puck and looks for some friendly faces.
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- Teddy takes a moment to notice the fine artwork at center ice on his rush into the offensive end of the ice.
#7 Forward: Gavin Petrie.
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- Look closely, as Gavin pushes the puck at the net which ended up being a goal for the Flames.
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- Gavin keeps his eye on the prize as he hustles up ice against the Avalanche.
#9 Forward: Jordan Hawkes.
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- Jordan fires a shot on goal against the Avs while Soucy rolls out a new move called the “Soucy Sandwich”.
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- Jordan moves the puck with a pass from behind the net. He finished the season strong, becoming a disruptive fore-checker and getting himself to the slot on offense.
#10 Forward: Cam Desruisseaux.
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- Cam had his skating legs going on the final weekend of the season, skating right past the Tap House Grille.
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- Cam tried to fool the goaltender with a good shot and a crazy contortion of a pose on his shot, but the save was made.
#12 Forward: Sean McGee.
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- Sean has great skating speed and here he demonstrates a smooth transition from speed to crossover, and see ya later.
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- Sean plays most games under the impression that there are points awarded for degree of difficulty. Here he makes a great pass to Cam who is robbed by a great save. I calculated the collective value of Sean’s self-imposed degree of difficulty this season, and he played the equivalent of 176 games this season.
#21 Forward: Jacob Casimiro.
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- Jacob gets low to sneak up on the Avs. He’s also thinking, “Hey Cam, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
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- Jacob showed off his skating ability a little more each month. It was great to see his confidence grow.
#31 Goalie: Travis Ingalls.
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- Some folks may question Travis’ focus at times, but check this out. He is simultaneously waving to me at the other end of the ice while making a stick save with his stick handle. Better focus than my lens.
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- At times, the 2010 Flames have been so good at keeping the puck out of the defensive zone it leaves Travis time to ponder on such things as this. “Do you think anyone would notice if I left the ice for a few minutes because I need to set my DVR to record the Bruins game?” Or, “Seriously! When was the last time the pipes behind me were painted?”
#63 Forward: Andrew Soucy.
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- We know him as Soucy, and he never has met a shot that he didn’t like. He led the 2010 Flames with 1,242 shots on goal this season.
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- Seriously though, Soucy is always around the puck, getting scoring chances, or fighting his way out of the net. Here he has a goal taken from him by a great save. On a separate note, I think Soucy might have a future in pro wrestling.
#66 Defense: Colby Cloutier.
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- Colby fires away against the Avalanche and defenders take cover.
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- Colby continues to play hard and improve. I am guessing he’s in a growth spurt because of some swings and misses at the puck. Yet he is around the puck a lot and hustles all the time. Watching him skate like a runaway train after he gets mad is awesome to watch.
#73 Defense: Jax Diachenko.
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- There is no shortage of action shots featuring Jax this season. He is relentless in his pursuit of defending his net. He prepares like no other and anticipates where he needs to be ahead of needing to be there.
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- Jax has added much offensive skill to his game this season. Here he scores on a filthy backhand shot to finish a rush that any Russian forward would be proud of.
#77 Defense: Finley Dunn.
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- Finley is about as steady as it gets back on defense. Here she turns the corner with her head up, looking to move the puck against the Avs.
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- Finley gets a shot through some traffic and on net. She is a solid player who possesses some great hand-eye coordination.
#86 Forward: Garrett Warren.
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- Garrett sets his edges for a turn at center ice as the Flames look to turn some defense into offense.
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- Garrett is not afraid of some physical play on the ice and loves to battle around the net. Here he takes in some Ice Den scenery as he skates around looking for the person who took the video of him putting his jersey on before the game.
#87 Defense: Caleb Powers.
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- Caleb skates tentatively, not wanting to show his hand. You can see in his eyes that he just does not trust the movements of his opponent.
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- Caleb follows through on his shot against the Avalanche. Ian and Cam are ready for the next move while Soucy hides for a moment, waiting to see where the puck goes.
#91 Defense, Per Diem Goalie: Logan McCain.
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- Logan picked up the puck at center ice and decided to make a serious of nice maneuvers (not a hockey term) en route to a sweet goal for the Flames on Saturday.
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- Logan (part-time goalie) congratulates Travis on another win in net for the Flames.
I have no idea what the 2010 Flames won-loss record was this season, but I don’t need to know in order to measure this team’s improvement over the course of the season. With kids who have been playing hockey for just two seasons, on up, they have improved steadily. They play together as a team a little more, a little better, each passing week. One theme that has run right through the center of this entire season is their will to compete for each other. They may not have their best energy or their best game on any given day, but it’s not induced by a lack of effort. These kids just keep going, and going, and going, until they are told they can stop. It sure has been an awful lot of fun.
Here are some more pictures from the weekend. I took a lot of pictures so I hope you don’t mind some more shots of weekend action, in no particular order. Well there is some order, as Saturday generally precedes Sunday.
Saturday: Flames 5 – Avalanche 1
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- I asked Colby if he would do a slow motion crossover move, with his head up for a nice photo opp. He complied. I call this a “Mom shot”. I hope she likes it.
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- Teddy makes a pass up the ice, breaking the puck out of the defensive zone.
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- Ian hits Soucy with a pass at the side of the net.
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- Cam looks to make a pass from behind the net. He’s thinking, “Guys my hands are full and if I point with my eyes they’ll see where I am passing the puck. Go to the open space!”
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- This time Cam says, “Ahh forget it! Here it comes Jacob!”
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- Here we see Cam’s interpretation of ‘coming in under the radar’.
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- Even though he’s a defenseman carrying the puck from the defensive zone, Jax was game to race the referee up the ice, for something else to do.
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- This is Soucy. This is what he does. He gets pucks to the net. Ian and Jordan fully support this strategy, looking for a rebound and a chance to score.
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- Okay, Jax fires a heavy, hard shot toward the net. Jacob braces for the impact, muttering sarcastically, “They say go to the net. Ya, right!” Sean is thinking, “Um, excuse me Mr. Jax, I might be open.” Cam wonders in the background, “Are my strings untied? I can’t look away to check.”
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- The puck flies by and Jacob realizes he is still alive and on his feet. The goalie is like, “Hey Mom! I am making a superb glove save without even looking.”
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- In a proud Dad moment I was thrilled to have captured this sequence for Teddy.
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- Teddy kept good speed on this rush and cut like he was going to take the shot to his backhand.
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- Then he cut back to his forehand and was fortunate enough to get the goalie to commit to the other side.
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- Teddy slid the puck into the open side of the net after being set up by Petrie and Soucy. I showed Teddy this picture and his first response, with a smile, was, “That looks so bad for my posture.” Kids.
The Flames gather with Travis moments after a 5-1 victory against the Avalanche on Saturday.
Sunday: Flames 4 – Avalanche 2
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- It was the last game of the season so the teams agreed to announce the rosters of each team so they could hear their names called before the game.
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- This isn’t a typical thing in youth hockey at this age. Especially with almost every tournament being cancelled this season.
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- My two favorite flags hanging peacefully at the Ice Den. I took this picture after rosters were announced when our National Anthem would usually be played.
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- Travis gets just enough of this shot to keep it from going into the net.
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- Here Travis, in a trance, makes the puck sit on top of the net so he could conserve the energy it would take to make such a difficult save.
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- Soucy beats the goaltender with this shot, but the post had other ideas and the puck slid harmlessly away.
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- Ian leads the breakout as his teammates look on, ever evaluating his progress. The reflection of a skater appears destined to crash into an unsuspecting Coach Tim.
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- Ian abruptly halted his rush and dumped the puck as he saw the referee land a random, but beautiful ‘double-toe-loop’
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- Cam was robbed on a breakaway chance by a great save and he slid in closer for a better look at the rebound.
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- First intermission, the Flames gather at the bench for a chat with Coach Nick. Soucy sneaks a look at his parents in the stands.
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- Ian leads the break again, seemingly unconcerned with the reflection stick across the timekeeper’s neck.
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- Ian gets after the puck while the Avs player behind him wonders how far they can lean without falling over.
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- Jax skates to a perfect spot on the ice where the lighting creates multiple of his stick on the ice as fires a shot on goal. Jax and I met on the ice before the game to locate this spot and see if we could get it to work in game action. Jax, also so willing to work with me.
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- As I said before, these teams play hard and give all they have to give. I love this effort to break up a pass to the slot.
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- Second intermission. Coach Nick, “…and this is the secret to success in life.” Caleb, “Hmmm, did I leave the iron on?”
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- Check out this action shot with Jacob scoring for the Flames on Sunday against the Avalanche.
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- Sean used his speed and broke in all alone on a breakaway but his shot was denied by the goaltender.
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- Teddy picked off a pass and got a mini break only to see his shot glance off of the goalie’s shoulder and over the net.
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- Travis gets his glove on a would be Avalanche goal on this breakaway attempt.
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- The team swarms Travis after winning their last game of the season. What a season it was! So much to build on. So much to be proud of.
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- The Flames take an impromptu team picture on the ice moments after winning their last game of the season. Go 2010 Flames!
I captured this young man capturing his own accounts of the game from a different and even opposite angle.
On Saturday, after the game, the Cloutier’s shared cupcakes with the team in celebration of Colby’s birthday (he’s 23) this week. I happened upon these three guys lounging in the glory of delicious cupcakes after a 5-1 victory. Each of these three also scored a goal in the game as well.
Yes, the sun was shining, but the wind was howling and the temperature was 44F. But these were good cupcakes following a great team win. Oh to be a kid again.
Seasons ending are not my strength. I struggle to find a new routine when they are done. I wrestle with the ebb that is an open calendar and how it affects the camaraderie and security found within a group, a team, a family. I battle for words and thoughts to contrast the finality of seasons, school years, graduations, childhood, and lost loved ones. I have contended with these since I was a little boy. On days like these, at season’s end, I find that I am still very much that little boy. In some ways, I hold on to all that has happened before our eyes by trying to be the keeper of the words, thinker of the thoughts, and collector of the memories in pictures and descriptions. No matter what though, I cannot halt time nor bring it back around. I am forced like all others, to move along. To move forward. But until I do, I often will squint my eyes as tears form, creating a blurry frame of what I still see in my mind’s eye. I fight the pull that is my heart racing like it has suddenly found a better place to be. And I let my mind trail behind, grazing on the lush pastures of smiles, joyous occasions, and achievement earned by those who had yet to believe they were able until they did it. All of it done, often created from not much at all, in the presence of me, of us, along life’s high speed highway. I feel I could write about this sentiment, maybe forever, because forever is the only limit on how long the memory of these things should last. The pain is only powerful because of its’ proportion to how strongly I feel about these people, these moments, and better yet, that they were shared outside of my self. In the end, the pleasure is mine. Truly, mine. I fall every time, for the hope, for the mystery of the yet unknown and unseen. I will always fall for it, because there are not many things in a lifetime that are better than buying into something that is greater than yourself with every fiber of your being. Thank you letting me ride along with all of you.
“…And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make.”
The beginning of every article. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2017.
The thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributors, mostly mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the schools, coaches, players, or characters listed in any of these blog posts. Or, maybe they do, but you would have to ask them directly.
Either way, “It’s a great day for hockey” ~ the late “Badger” Bob Johnson.