2010 Flames - Three for Three - 1 In Awesome Wonder

The 2010 Flames played three games over the weekend, and they went three for three. Earning three wins. They started in Wilmington, Mass. with a 7-6 win, a wild affair before playing a home game later on Saturday evening. The Flames won their home game and then again on the road at Concord (NH) on Sunday afternoon. The win made for a 3-game sweep of the weekend for the 2010 Flames.

The 2010 Flames celebrate their team after their third win of a three game weekend. Coming together. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

On Saturday morning in a rink that used to be the Boston Bruins training rink, despite a morning dazzled by glorious autumn sunshine, the hockey weekend had a dim outlook. That was solely based on the dungeon-esque lighting situation inside the arena. Talk about your cold dark places. If a penalty happens in the dark shadows of a distant corner and nobody sees a grey-bodied uniform does the call always go against the bright red jersey? Anyway, it was pretty dark in there. Note to self, always have a pack of LED nightlights in my camera bag.

In any event, the 2010 Flames stormed out of the gate in this game, and they could have easily had four or more goals in the first half of the period. But then again, not all good chances find the back of the net. Even so, the Flames did jump out to a 3-0 lead. First it was Teddy “Two Goal” Beal from Andrew “Blew By You” Soucy on a face-off win and one-time shot that found paydirt before the butterfly could get down on the ice. Then Soucy put one in on a pass from “Never Beaten” Ian Kaveney. “Lucas of Locksley” Ouellette scored the Flames third goal after a shot/pass from Jacob “STP” St. Pierre at the right point. The Shamrocks Orange team did score with 0:03 left in the period but I couldn’t see it in the dim light. The score was, 3-1 after one period.

The second period appeared to be the aberration of the day. The Flames were called for four penalties while the Shamrocks simultaneously raised their game. The home team scored a pair of goals to tie things up at 3-3. They were all over the Flames. At the end of the period, Gavin “Rooster Pear Tree” Petrie got a piece of the puck, tipping a shot into the net that was set up by Garrett “Wingman” Warren and Logan “The Freight Train” McCain. The Flames led 4-3 after two periods.

Will reminds us all of one of the oldest named saves in the book. The “picking apples” save, typically only pointed out during September and October. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

The final period was like a not-so-gentle reminder that Halloween is coming. I categorize the final period as a bit of helter-skelter, or ‘in a haphazard manner’. The 2010 Flames returned to their better skating game and team play. The Shamrocks took three straight penalties, and the visitors cashed in with a pair of power play goals.

Petrie scored on the power play, set up by “Fast Pace” Chase Giampa, to give the Flames a 5-3 lead. The Flames got another power play goal to stretch their lead to 6-3, when Soucy scored on a nice play set up by Kaveney and Ouellette. They really took command when Beal scored from Giampa and St. Pierre to give the 2010 Flames a 7-3 lead. This would turn out to be the game-winning goal, we just didn’t know that yet. The Shamrocks scored on a breakaway to make the score 7-4 with 3:49 left in the game. The Flames never got back on D and the Shamrocks made a frantic dash to the finish line with all they could muster. In the next two minutes the Shamrocks scored two more goals and the score rested at 7-6 with just over a minute left to play. The Shamrocks pulled their goalie at the one-minute mark but not much happened as it related to the scoreboard and the Flames skated out into the sunlight with a 7-6 win. You can’t go three for three if you don’t win the first one.

I cannot forget to mention that Travis “Old School” Ingalls and Will “The Thrill” Rosenbeck backstop this 2010 Flames team, guarding the creases and nets wherever they may travel. These two play different styles, and take different approaches, but they are solid in their own ways. Our team is fortunate to have this goaltending tandem on our side.

Score by period: Saturday, October 08, 2022.

Flames 03 – 01 – 03 = 07

NS Shamrocks Orange 01 – 02 – 03 = 06

After a ‘holiday weekend, leaf-peeping collection of traffic from the rest of New England (the only time that NY associates itself with New England)’ filled trip from Wilmington, Mass. back to New Hampshire, the Flames got some down time before an evening home game. In the evening affair, the 2010 Flames played host to the Granite State Wild in their first league game in the Granite State League (GSL).

I won’t belabor the particulars but the Wild only had 8, maybe 9 skaters, and a goalie for this game and that played a factor for sure. The 2010 Flames scored a pair of goals in the first period and then blew this game wide open in the second period while working on making multiple passes before taking shots on net for the rest of the game. Just about everyone on the Flames team had a goal or an assist in the total team effort, skating to a 10-1 win at West Side Arena. The team worked on things that will make them better in the long run and the goaltending was better than par when called into action.

Score by period: Saturday, October 08, 2022.

Granite State Wild 00 – 00 – 01 = 01

Flames 02 – 07 – 01 = 10

Sunday afternoon found the capital city of Concord, NH dappled in more awesome autumn sunshine. It is truly a refreshingly beautiful time of year to be surrounded by the wondrous beauty that is the daily, constant change of fall in New Hampshire. As my wife and I sat in our chairs out in a paved parking lot along the banks of the Merrimack River on a splendid Sunday afternoon, drinking local piping hot coffee in the sunshine, we contemplated (for a second) the idea of just sitting outside while the game went on inside.

Inside, the handsome lines and soft curves of Douglas N. Everett Arena welcome all to come and enjoy the game of hockey. A kids game. A place with scheduled time to allow the kids to be kids. A time to play. It’s beautiful. It’s necessary. Watching the kids play should be enough, period. Regardless of scores and measurements, there is learning, there is activity, there is interaction with others of all ages, and it’s a wonderful classroom. A full blown recess that teaches more than many desk and chair moments do.

Wins are nice when someone cares to count them. Losses are only on the score-sheet. Kids sports when allowed to be fully about the kids has so many gains and personal foundation building moments that we should never forget the order by which such things should be assessed. It’s all about the kids.

Sunday afternoon, the Flames got a goal or an assist from every dressed skater on their roster for the game. Again, they worked on moving the puck via the pass. A novel concept. Teddy Beal scored his first career hat trick in the game. And the goals went something like this.

Beal from Petrie. St. Pierre rush set up by Booth and Soucy. Caleb “By The Powers Vested In Me” unassisted from the half wall. Giampa from Beal. Powers again on a steal and quick shot. Kaveney at the goal mouth from Soucy and Powers. Beal from Petrie and Booth. Soucy from Ouellette and Cooper “Always In A Car-O” Lazzaro. Beal four inches from the goal set by Ouellette and Lazzaro. Ouellette from McCain. McCain blast from Powers and Ouellette. Soucy from Petrie. Giampa steal, quick shot out high, and in. Ingalls and Rosenbeck were sound once again.

On a separate note, there are three periods in a hockey game. But for four quarters you can get heat for your seating section that lasted the entire game at the old Everett Arena.

Score by period: Sunday, October 09, 2022.

Flames 06 – 04 – 03 = 13

Concord Capitals 12U Elite 00 – 00 – 01 = 01

In youth sports sometimes you are the younger team in a mixed league with older players. Sometimes you will be the elders. Sometimes the hill before you will seem like a mountain you could never climb, but climb you must. Sometimes you will crest the hill and enjoy the descent by reveling in the rewards attained by having made the insurmountable climb. Then, remember that the schedule lays these measurements of competition at your feet no matter which side they favor, and compete you must.

It’s okay to win, and the fervor that accompanies wins is only truly gained by having suffered losses. It’s okay to lose too, for this is the reminder to keep learning and pushing yourself to be a better version of yourself. Losses teach us that piling up wins are not an entitlement to anyone. And wins are the sweet reward with the depth of perspective for having lost. Then there is the popular question of what part of competition can be controlled. With the memorized retort of “attitude and effort”. While this is true there is so much more to it than that.

Without going into all of the ways this could be dissected deeper and deeper, how about the following dive. “Attitude” isn’t just something that needs minding through adversity, loss, or failure. It’s an all-time need for management. You’re up by five goals in a blowout and a player takes you down on purpose or not. If you’re not hurt there’s no need to get up and get in their face, or to sulk, or to have an adverse reaction.

Same one-sided scenario, and you score a gorgeous goal, celebrate inside but not at the expense of anyone else. You’re up by a lot of goals and the competitive juices are flowing, you want more goals, but they are not necessary. You can still fly around and compete, only move the puck, make passes, learn the places where the puck should go or where it will go. Better your game without a thought of the score-sheet.

Getting ready to play the Wild and Coach Ouellette looks at the board, internally exclaiming, “I didn’t agree to these lines! Oh wait, right, maybe I did.” © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

“Effort” can stay at the height of all you can give. Go hard, but clean and sportsman like. Take shorter shifts while pushing your skating to the max while on the ice. Make the effort to avoid unnecessary contact or shots toward the goal. Make the effort to be compassionate to your teammates and competitors alike while maintaining an effort that others would want to emulate. Maybe even make the effort to not run your mouth or chirp, but rather to encourage, even your opponent.

Life is short. The world is small. And if you play sports long enough you will find yourself on both sides of one-sided games. You will likely also see teammates go to other schools or teams and become opponents. Just as former opponents will suddenly be in your locker room and on your bench as teammates. It may be too late to try and give the proper “attitude and effort” where roles have changed if you don’t start now and make it a staple of your game, and ultimately your life.

The beauty of all this is that you can learn these things and hone these skills all while having the absolute times of your life. Quite frankly, the times of your life will be that much more enjoyable if you excel in the depths of controlling “attitude and effort”. You can find more 2010 Flames material in these pieces, here.

As always with these galleries, please feel free to click on the pictures, and zoom in and have a look around. Also, please enjoy! The title of the picture will give you clues if you need them. This is for the kids. Thank you for your time.

Flames at Shamrocks – 10-08-2022

: Often times I catch my eyes wandering from the play and seeking out glimpses of Travis. I am guessing the world he lives in is a trifle more exciting than the one I am in. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Early on the Flames were in control of the puck and the game, but such things didn’t last for too long. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: If I didn’t brighten this picture you may not have seen Soucy with the puck and Petrie with his head on a swivel. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: This picture made me think of poor Ray Finkle. Do you know why? © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: With the ever changing landscape of hockey in motion, things can look very different from one frame to the next. Here the puck gets through an opening that was either large or small depending on the frame I chose to share. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Travis wonders, “Why am I always the one back on D?” Then just as quickly dismisses the thought. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Teddy hustles after the puck and an offensive chance. Travis stands tall. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Garrett stares down the puck thinking, “You can slide puck, but you can’t hide.” © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: The moment that gravity grabs the puck and muscles start to twitch. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Warren sends the puck on its’ merry way toward a teammate on the other wing. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Powers sneaks in for a better look and a trigger ready to fire. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: I don’t know how well hockey players can dance but they made a half-hearted attempt to pull off the in-game conga line. I appreciate the spontaneous creativity. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: St. Pierre lets a shot fly from the point. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: St. Pierre’s shot ends up on Ouellette’s stick in front of the net. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: And Ouellette’s shot finds the back of the net. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Ian has that look like, “I wish I could have that chance back. I would bury that shot!” © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: It looks like Soucy is trying to get the puck out of the defensive end. But he’s really skating up close to see if Travis is really frozen to the post. That first intermission prank of putting water on his goalie helmet backfired for a moment. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Travis goes into Tim Thomas goaltending mode. This mode is when the goalie wills his body into positions and through contortions with all energy focused on keeping the puck out of the net. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Jayden “You Must Pay To Get Through This” Booth shows us what hustle actually looks like. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: I know Will, I see you too. Keep up the good work. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: All goalies are not the same but they do face (literally) a lot of shots that none of us would want to be in front of. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Here we see the puck slides slowly through the five-hole. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Teddy “Two-Goal” quickly calculates that the speed at which the puck is traveling is being decreased by the snow on the ice causing higher than normal drag and thus the puck will stop short of the goal line. So he gives the puck a little push. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: The Flames briefly celebrate their win with Will in the midst. They held on for a 7-6 victory.

: Shaking hands after a 7-3 lead turns to a 3-goal eruption, and ultimately a 7-6 win. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

Flames vs. Wild – 10-08-2022

: Logan gets all engines warmed and running early in the game against the Wild. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Soucy shoots from a tough angle against the Wild. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: A pair of Flames forwards come out high to get a good look at Caleb’s shot from the point. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Travis moving to the rhythm of the play. Coolly noted. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Will made the save with his right pad, changing the angle of the shot enough to send it wide. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Booth and all of the Flames specialized in moving the puck against the Wild on Saturday night. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: The Flames enjoyed a nice win at home on Saturday night, then gathered themselves to shake hands with their opponents. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

Flames at Capitals – 10-09-2022

: I didn’t ask Travis about this but I am pretty sure that he would tell me something like this. “I have carefully crafted my movements to cut all angles at various depths to protect the exact dimensions of the net. If it’s high or wide, I let it fly.” © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: After this rush and goal by Jacob I overheard his agent on the phone talking about a possible movie deal. Something about “Three Dekes And A Celly”. I’m not sure. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Travis, fine-tuned as always, calculated this as only a 37% on the imminent threat chance scale, and applied the proportional readiness. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: The three Flames forwards expertly stay out of the shooting lane for Caleb to score on this shot. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Gavin, Chase, and Teddy were among the Flames who experienced a super weekend on the ice.

: In our goaltenders we trust. The Flames just mill around while Travis keeps track of the puck. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: The flex of the stick and the blade make it look like this shot is behind his blade. It wasn’t. The shot indeed went toward the net.

: Jacob’s shot was so quick and well executed that Coach Soucy was entranced by the execution.

: This is a cardboard likeness of Travis that he put on the ice to start the second period. Either way, that’s some excellent work. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: I believe the goalie was okay after this. It does appear that there was direct contact made to the Concord goaltender. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: This shot came up and hit Will right in the mask. He stood and took it. So you wanna play net? © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

: Three for three on the weekend. A weekend that we all hope to look back on and say this is when this Flames team took their teamwork to a new level. © 1inawesomewonder 2022.

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.

“We should be dreaming. We grew up as kids having dreams, but now we’re too sophisticated as adults, as a nation. We stopped dreaming. We should always have dreams.” ~ the late Herb Brooks.