Written by The first weekend of December brought a four-game weekend on the calendar for the 2010 Flames. Games were played in Hooksett, Hudson, Hartford (VT), and Manchester. After all was said and done, the Flames split the four games, winning two, and losing two.
Friday night at Tri-Town Arena, the Flames earned a 3-0 victory over the Monarchs. The first period was played at a pace that was just about as smooth as an old farm dirt road after the first frost and a downpour. It did even out and improve. The middle period saw both teams pick up their skating and team play while getting scoring chances, with the edge leaning in the direction of the Flames. Even so, the game was scoreless after two periods. Then the Flames broke through and netted three goals in the final stanza to take the 3-0 win.
Things that make me think. According to Google, this is Wendell A. Barwood Arena on the grounds of Hartford High School which contains the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center. Or, as I call it, the local ice rink.
Saturday morning, the Flames played the Northern Cyclones down in Hudson. This was a game that was added to the schedule just a day or two beforehand, which of course disrupted the parents more than the players. Despite the late notice I don’t guess that I’ll allow it as an excuse. The Cyclones were the better team all game, winning the puck battles and outskating the Flames throughout. There were a lot of penalties in this game, but that was not the reason for the score. The Cyclones earned a 4-1 victory. They lead 4-0 after two periods, before the Flames got on the board in the third.
Sunday morning, the Flames traveled up to Hartford High School in Vermont for a game with the Upper Valley Storm. After a scoreless opening period, which included a shot off of the post that just stopped in the crease, a near goal for the Flames. The Storm scored first, in the second period, on a rebound poked in at the post and held a 1-0 lead after two periods. Upper Valley would add another goal on a Flames blown coverage play at the edge of the crease when the Storm connected on a pass to a wide open teammate right in front of the net. The Flames answered with a shot through heavy net traffic, cutting the lead to 2-1 for a moment. The Storm answered almost immediately on a Flames turnover in their own end, making the score 3-1. That’s how the game would end, with the Flames dropping a 3-1 decision.
Sunday evening, from West Side Arena, the Flames hosted the Concord Capitals in GSL action. The Flames led 2-1 after one period, and 4-3 after two periods. The third period was scoreless with both teams getting Grade A chances to score. The Flames had three power play chances in the final period but could not add to their lead, holding on for the 4-3 win.
Here are my brief box score summaries of the games from the weekend:
Team Scoring: Friday evening at Tri-Town.
Monarchs: 0-0-0 = 0
Flames: 0-0-3 = 3
Flames scoring: Soucy from Powers, McGee from Warren and Soucy, Hawkes from Powers.
Will Rosenbeck and Travis Ingalls combine in net on the Flames shutout victory!
Team scoring: Saturday morning at Cyclones Arena.
Cyclones 1-3-0 = 4
Flames 0-0-1 = 1
Flames scoring: Panitz unassisted on a pilfer and a wrister.
Rosenbeck allowed 2 goals. Ingalls allowed 2 goals.
Team scoring: Sunday morning up in Hartford, VT.
Storm 0-1-2 = 3
Flames 0-0-1 = 1
Flames scoring: Dunn from McGee.
Rosenbeck played well in the loss, making several point-blank saves throughout the game.
Team scoring: Sunday evening at West Side Arena.
Capitals 1-2-0 = 3
Flames 2-2-0 = 4
Flames scoring: Beal from Desruisseaux and Panitz, Panitz unassisted, Beal from Soucy and Petrie, (PPG) Hawkes from Panitz and McGee.
Rosenbeck allowed 3 goals and battled for the win in a scoreless final period.
Here are some pictures from the Friday game against the Monarchs at a very dark Tri-Town rink. Please enjoy.
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- I clocked (unofficial) the Zamboni doing 37mph through center ice. Just a shout out to one of my favorite inventions.
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- The Flames all entered the intersection at the same time causing a pile up before the game.
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- Finley lays down the rhythm while Teddy steps lively.
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- This breakaway bid was denied on Teddy’s backhand move.
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- Jordan Hawkes. (mic drop)
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- Play-by-play announcer by numbers. 37 over to 87, over to number 7.
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- Just a shot of two skaters wearing cool hockey jerseys, playing a kids game on a Friday night.
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- Soucy’s shot is saved with a lot of people around and awaiting the outcome.
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- Soucy fires a shot just over the net from the slot.
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- Line up. Shake hands. Don’t take anything for granted. Last year you had to bow from your blue line.
I took a whole bunch of pictures down at ice level on Sunday up in Vermont. Here are a couple of baker’s dozens (is that a thing?) of pictures from Wendell A. Barwood Arena. Enjoy.
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- Coach Soucy just about to land on his flight back from out west.
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- The Stars and Stripes hanging in all its’ glory.
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- Soucy leads the rush for the Flames.
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- Garrett skates through the offensive zone looking for someone else with the same jersey color.
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- Soucy gets a shot past the Storm goalie in the first period, but the shot hits the post and stays out of the net.
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- Cam keeps his head down and thinks, “Don’t look back. Whatever I do, don’t look back.”
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- Brayden cuts back to the middle and realizes that his linemates are right beside him.
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- Here, Soucy slows down for a second so I can get off of the ice and out of his way.
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- This shot was counted down, and here we see the launch.
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- Finley thinks, “Yes, I could poke at the puck but I might catch a skate and get a tripping call.” Also, “Check out this snow I’m throwin.”
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- Finley carries the puck, while Jordan condemns a line change without a word.
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- Jordan skates over into my corner, or maybe it was his corner. Either way, we weren’t very far apart.
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- Ok, good job everyone. That is how you keep your eye on the puck.
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- There seems to be a fair amount of attention being paid to that little black disk.
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- I am not clairvoyant but even I was pretty sure there was going to be a backhand shot on this play.
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- The goalie’s secret weapon, the ole stick check or poke check.
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- Teddy blocked a shot and was off to the races. The shot was wide though.
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- This is just a cool shot of two guys that can skate pretty well, and took their speed to a narrow passage on the ice.
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- Shot fired. Will save. Just the way it goes.
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- Caleb keeps the puck moving in the offensive zone.
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- Brayden fires a shot toward the net. While it looks like Cam has ripped a saucer pass in my direction.
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- These players look like they are taking this game pretty seriously.
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- Alex gets a shot away at the right point, looking for some offense for the Flames.
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- This puck had its’ own film crew and they were making a documentary called “Freeze the puck?”
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- This shot came from out by the curling circle but it hit some traffic and found the net.
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- The Storm get a clean breakaway but Will was able to keep the puck out of the net.