Stop The Puck - Goffstown 2 at Merrimack 0

January 11, 2023 – Jake Webber had one mission, stop the puck.

Sometimes you show up to play as a team and everyone gives it all they have, and it’s enough. Then you have a day like today when one of your teammates just plays a game up in the stratosphere somewhere. The Grizzlies played hard and even played some pretty stingy team defense, but their best defender today, was their goaltender. What a performance.

It takes everybody. Jake Webber saves the 1-0 lead for Goffstown with 1:34 left in the game. Stop the puck. What a save!

Before the game I was made aware of the collection taking place at the entrance to West Side Arena for this afternoon’s hockey game between Merrimack and Goffstown. The following was posted on the Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey page earlier today.

At today’s 4pm game against Merrimack, at the Westside Ice Arena, there will be a collection of money at the door for the family of the Merrimack senior who died in a car accident Saturday. The brother, who is also in the high school is out of the hospital, but both parents are still in there. Between the loss of their son and everything else, they have a long road ahead of them. Please consider giving a little extra today in support of they family.

This is a link to the go fund me and story about the family. Today’s game collected funds will get to the family quicker than the go fund me funds, but if you don’t have cash/check tonight thus gives you another opportunity to contribute.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/xander-venedam?mibextid=Zxz2cZ

During the moment of silence that was observed before the game I prayed silently for this family. When the silence was broken, I smiled a little smile just knowing that the family won’t be going through all of this alone. May God give them strength, peace, and comfort.

UPDATE: Between the Merrimack and Goffstown fans along with hockey fans in general, the Merrimack team raised $545 at the door upon entry into West Side Arena. This money was raised for the Venedam family after an accident claimed the life of their son, Xander, and caused injuries to the rest of the family. The Tomahawks hockey team also raised another $1185 on their own. ~ Thank you. Our thoughts and prayers are still with you Venedam family.

During the first period, the Tomahawks really tried to impose their will by means of physicality. Goffstown hit some too, but mostly stayed out of fray as far as penalties were concerned. I think that it’s pretty clear that Merrimack had the most talented offensive players in this game. Merrimack outshot Goffstown 10-5 in the first period, 10-2 in the second period, and 16-3 in the third period. So, yes, they had quite the edge in the offensive opportunities on the day.

Goffstown scored at 7:38 of the second period and it was their first shot of the period. It was a great play that really started with Dylan Desruisseaux back checking to break up the play. As he tied up Ryan De Beaucourt and the puck sprung loose for just a millisecond, Brock Bennett flipped the puck out of the defensive end. A Merrimack player fell down and Dylan Ellbeg had a bit of a breakout. Ellbeg used a burst of speed to get to the puck at center ice and explode toward the net. Cole Stratford filled the lane with Ellbeg and just kept skating for the post. Ellbeg fed a beautiful pass to open space in front of the net where Stratford arrived at the perfect time and put a backhand shot into the net. Gorgeous play. Goffstown had a 1-0 lead with just their 6th shot on net of the game.

It was Cole’s first career goal and it would turn out to be the game-winning-goal as well. Talk about a memorable goal!

Cole Stratford from Dylan Ellbeg and Brock Bennett to give Goffstown a 1-0 lead in the second period.

At the other end of the ice, for all three periods, Jake Webber did absolutely everything in his power to stop the puck from going into the net behind him. There are very few times that I am able to mark one perfect goaltending period after another in my notepad. 10/10. 10/10. 16/16. 36/36. 36 save shutout. Perhaps the save that everyone will remember most was the one that Webber made with 1:34 left to play in the game on Owen Miner. Miner had a clean breakaway from the Merrimack River all the way to the crease where his shot found Jake’s right pad and the end of the bid.

As the third period wore on, the Tomahawks kept pounding the Goffstown net with shots on goal, shots that were blocked, shots that missed, and shots that were deflected. And like the CPU goalie on most NHL hockey video games when one team is dominating offensively, Webber just stopped everything. Not only did he make the save on the Miner bid, but he also allowed no rebound. Miner, in a very classy move, paid respect to Webber and his save with a respectful gesture to Jake in the crease. Well done, Owen.

This is the Webber save on Miner. The crescendo that every good artist rises to in their best performances. Crazy flexibility to stop the puck. (Photo Credit to @ghssports21 on Instagram)

Merrimack called a timeout after the enormous save by Webber and pulled Matt Licata from their net for an extra attacker. Goffstown missed the empty net a few times, but the chances weren’t great to begin with. Then Dylan Ellbeg took a face-off against Kyle Dunn in the D-zone to the right of Webber. Dunn won the face-off, kind of, by smacking Ellbeg’s stick with the puck right toward the net.

Webber was ready, but Xavier Bibaud knocked the puck down with this stick blade and spun to fire the puck out of the zone. The puck caromed off of the boards and sped out of the zone on a perfect angle toward the open net. Late in the game with lots of snow on the ice, the puck slowed as it slid. Conor Dunn raced back to sweep the puck wide but it crossed the goal line before he could get there and stop the puck. 2-0.

Xavier Bibaud got the angle right, and just enough mustard on this clearing attempt to hit the empty net before the D could stop the puck.

In a situation like this, it’s okay to go ahead and mob your goalie!

Next up, Goffstown will play the mighty St. Thomas Saints who are 6-0 this season and haven’t lost a hockey game since I can’t remember when. They have won, or shared the D2 NH State Title three of the last four years. Game time is scheduled for 12:15 PM at Sullivan Arena. The Grizzlies will not only have to continue to stop the puck, but they will need to tap into some sustained offense to compete with St. Thomas on Saturday.

You can follow other Goffstown Hockey stories, here.

NHIAA Hockey:

Updated records.

Goffstown (4-1-0 NHIAA) (5-3-0 Overall) at Merrimack (2-4-0)

West Side Arena, Manchester, NH

Wednesday, January 11, 2023. 4:15 PM Start.

Summary:

Goals:

Goffstown: 0-1-1 = 2

Merrimack: 0-0-0 = 0

Shots:

Goffstown: 05-02-03 = 10

Merrimack: 10-10-16 = 36

Scoring:

1st Period: None

2nd Goffstown at 7:38. Even. Cole Stratford (1st Career Goal) from Dylan Ellbeg and Brock Bennett. GWG.

3rd Goffstown at 14:23. Empty. Xavier Bibaud from Dylan Ellbeg. Empty net.

Special Teams:

Goffstown Power Play: 0 for 3.

Merrimack Power Play: 0 for 3.

Saves:

Goffstown: Jake Webber 36 of 36. (1.000). (45:00)

Merrimack: Matt Licata 8 of 9. (.889). (43:33)

Remembering Jen Cheney…

The Jen Cheney Memorial Scholarship and Sportsmanship Award (awarded each season)

As a sixteen-year-old junior, Jen was a manager for the very first Goffstown Grizzlies hockey team in the 1999-2000 club season. Her infectious smile and friendly nature was a joy for everyone fortunate to know her. Jen is now our eternal team angel. The spirit of Jen lives on…our team champions an angel memorial patch sewn to each uniform jersey.

On Thursday, May 18th, 2000, Jen was killed by a drunk driver. We are dedicated to memorialize Jen’s life with the Jen Cheney Memorial Scholarship and Sportsmanship Award. But we also want to deliver a message from our team angel… simply…if you choose to drink, don’t drive.

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.

“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.