Grizzlies Again In OT - Goffstown 4 vs. Spaulding 3 (OT)

February 02, 2023 – On January 7th these two teams played an overtime game. Goffstown was able to get the win. Then on Thursday night, they played at Sullivan Arena, and it was the Grizzlies again in OT. This time it was 4-3.

Jake Klardie dives. Contact made. The puck flies over the shoulder and into the net. (Jen Webber Photography)

This was not the ‘classic’ high intensity, pure flow of a game that the Goffstown hockey team played in on Monday night at New England College. It was a pretty good game though. The Goffstown Grizzlies did not skate like they did against the Warriors. But that had a lot to do with the opponent, the Spaulding Red Raiders. This Spaulding hockey club came in to the game after winning two games in a row, and obviously playing some pretty decent hockey.

The goaltending matchup featured the same two goaltenders from the January 7th meeting. Anabel Prochilo was in net for the Spaulding hockey team, and Ethan Santoro was guarding the Grizzlies den for the Goffstown hockey team. Prochilo made 32 saves on 36 shots and looked as cool as a cucumber all night. Santoro got the victory while making 30 saves on 33 shots.

Spaulding hockey goaltender, Anabel Prochilo, she’s pretty good! (Jen Webber Photography)

Neither team was able to run away with the game, nor were they ever really able to establish long possessions in the offensive end. This was punch and counterpunch, without all the penalties. There were 9 penalties called in the first meeting, and only 3 penalties called in round two. If anything, the Red Raiders gave the Grizzlies fits at times while trying to leave their own end with the puck.

On the other hand, the Goffstown Grizzlies did get 36 shots on goal, and put 4 of those behind Prochilo. Nick DiMarzio had a pair of goals (including the game-winner), and they were scored from a combined total of 12 feet from the net.

For the Spaulding hockey team, they scored similar goals at either end of the ice. Jackson Farrow barreled down the left wing and fired a shot past Santoro for their first goal at 11:18 of the first period. Then in the second period, Nate Gagnon exploded up the right wing, beat the Goffstown defenders to the puck and scored on a shot as he flew through the face-off circle.

Ethan Santoro had 30 saves in the Goffstown OT win over the Spaulding hockey team. (Jen Webber Photography)

Goffstown got a steal and a score from Max Ouellette who single-handedly turned a little bit of nothing into a goal. He broke up a play along the boards, turned and skated toward the slot to rip a shot that found the inside of the near post through traffic, on a near perfect shot.

Then in the second period, Jake Klardie scored a goal that will most certainly be a candidate for ‘goal of the year’. After some back and forth action over a couple of shifts the Grizzlies pulled a sweet play together. First, Tyler Lessard just eased a pass back to Brennan Pierce in front of his own net. Pierce looked for Klardie over the middle at center ice, even though there was double coverage. Somehow Klardie and the puck squeezed through and Jake had to skate down the puck before Anabel Prochilo came out of her net to cover, or move the puck.

In the booth, I yelled “Dive!” (not too loud) just as the moment of action was happening. Klardie was already thinking the same thing as he dove along the ice with his stick in his left hand and swiped at the puck. He connected with the puck and the black disc flew up and over Prochilo into top right side of the net as Klardie finished his Superman-esque slide into the goaltender and the post. Goffstown had a 3-2 lead.

Head to head competition. It’s the beauty of the game. It’s all about the kids. (Jen Webber Photography)

The Spaulding hockey team kept on playing their game. They just continued to work and create chances. Sometimes that leads to goals that aren’t even really chances. For example, they tied the score, 3-3, with 1:55 left in regulation on a goal that would not have counted as a shot on net if it didn’t go in the net. I’ll explain.

Ethan Santoro was hugging his near post as the puck was behind the net on that side of the ice. Trevor Brennan took the puck on the end boards and centered a pass to Cam Taylor, or at least he tried to. His pass attempt was deflected by Xavier Bibaud and the puck went toward the net from behind the goal line and never made it to Taylor. Santoro used his paddle to keep the puck from going out front into the crease where Taylor was getting inside position on Brock Bennett. But the puck hit the paddle of his stick and caromed inside his right pad and into the net for the tying goal.

Santoro made a couple of real nice saves in the overtime, including a great save on Jackson Farrow just over two minutes into the extra time. Goffstown had swarmed to Cole Enman who, somehow slithered through three defenders to find Farrow all alone in the right wing circle for a clean shot. Farrow’s shot was true, but Ethan made a wonderful stick save to keep the game tied.

Tyler Lessard flexes for a shot against Spaulding. (Jen Webber Photography)

I have to say that Anabel Prochilo was brilliant in net, especially in the 3rd period. She saved all 12 shots she faced and some were excellent. Then in overtime she calmly robbed Tyler Lessard’s game-winning bid with the handle of her stick. Lessard had walked down the slot with Jake Klardie providing a screen and ripped a shot labeled for inside the post, but Prochilo knocked into the netting and a stoppage in play. This set the stage for the final goal of the game.

Goffstown changed lines and Brandon Bograd won the face-off to Max Ouellette who was immediately tied up along the half wall boards. Bograd came over to help out and secured the puck. Bograd turned and fired a rising shot that Prochilo saved with her blocker. The puck dropped at the top of the ice in the crease, and Nick DiMarzio, on the move from the weak-side, was able to backhand the puck into the net. On the face-off DiMarzio had lifted the defenders stick as the puck dropped and the stick pinwheeled into the air and toward the other circle. This became immediately crucial as the winning goal was scored against a defender with no stick.

It’s the Grizzlies again in OT!

Celebrate the win for the name on the front. Enjoy the moments, they are fleeting. (Jen Webber Photography)

How much do I love covering hockey, especially covering Goffstown hockey? Well, this is my 8th season with the Goffstown Grizzlies hockey team. Even I got through high school in less than 8 years. It truly has been my pleasure.

It’s a great game. The team is fun to watch, year after year. I know I love what I do for many reasons. And honestly, Jen Webber Photography is one of those reasons. Jen, I don’t know how you do it, but nearly every single gallery you capture contains images that bring tears to my eyes. To Alan Potvin, Grant Wright, Jay Webber, Pete Tarrier, Mike Diodati and others who have jumped in along the way; you all just equal awesomeness in my book.

It only takes everyone. (Jen Webber Photography)

Folks, this kind of stuff isn’t happening in other places. The Goffstown hockey game presentation has been a staple of the program for several years now. It takes people stepping up and out of their ice-side seat to leave the program better than you found it. I think of people watching Goffstown hockey (and their opponents) games all over the United States. I think of the parents, siblings, and grandparents that hear their player’s name on the broadcasts or even in the arena. I think of the players on both sides of the ice who get to see their names, hear their names, and represent their schools to folks everywhere.

Afterall, isn’t it all about the kids? Would you rise and take action to make something better for your kids? Of course you would. Then why draw the line at your kids, our kids? Keep stepping forward to make the game experience, the entire high school hockey experience, better for all of the kids. They say it takes a village. Well, I believe we represent a pretty spectacular village. Keep raising the bar, on and off the ice.

All we ask is that in all you do, you bring your very best. In doing so, we will recognize how tremendously we are blessed. (Jen Webber Photography)

The Goffstown hockey team returns to the ice out at the Dover Ice Arena on Saturday, February 4th, for a date with Dover. For some reason, probably because they’re always good, the Goffstown hockey team has had a difficult time with this matchup. We shall see.

The Grizzlies are on the board! (Jen Webber Photography)

You can follow other Goffstown Hockey stories, here.

You can also follow this blog here. I write a lot about hockey. It’s a long season. It’s not all just about the hockey, but rather about lessons and takeaways that come up throughout these seasons. Yes, I am biased. I am biased toward the truth and the right way to do things, whether anyone is watching or not.

The players play the games. The kids score. Most of the time, the kids band together for something that is bigger than themselves; the team. The kids do so many things right on any given play, on any given day. I have found that more often than not, the kids pleasantly surprise us all. It’s awesome. It’s all about the kids.

: Captain, Xavier Bibaud, Defenseman for the Grizzlies. (Jen Webber Photography)

: We spend a lot of time laughing at ourselves, mostly because nobody else will. (Jen Webber Photography)

: Yup! I saw it too. Kids everywhere are now practicing the Klardie Slide, to take a 3-2 lead. (Jen Webber Photography)

: At the threshold, where one world ends, and another one begins. (Jen Webber Photography)

: Goffstown Grizzlies hockey, bringing smiles to faces for more than 20 years. (Jen Webber Photography)

: That’s a team celebration on the ice, at home, in Overtime! Grizzlies again in OT! (Jen Webber Photography)

: History being made every single night. This was very cool. (Jen Webber Photography)

: Aren’t we all a little better off when we are truly surrounded by a team? (Jen Webber Photography)

NHIAA Hockey:

Updated records.

Goffstown (6-3-2 NHIAA) (7-5-2 Overall) vs. Spaulding (2-8-0)

Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH

Monday, January 30, 2023. 6:17 PM Start.

Summary:

Goals:

Goffstown: 01 – 02 – 00 – 01 = 04 (OT)

Spaulding: 01 – 01 – 01 – 00 = 03

Shots:

Goffstown: 10 – 10 – 12 – 04 = 36

Spaulding: 08 – 13 – 09 – 03 = 33

Scoring:

1st Goffstown at 10:55. Even. Nick DiMarzio from Max Ouellette and Brandon Bograd.

1st Spaulding at 11:18. Even. Jackson Farrow from Cole Enman.

2nd Spaulding at 2:24. Even. Nate Gagnon unassisted.

2nd Goffstown at 8:07. Even. Max Ouellette unassisted.

2nd Goffstown at 9:35. Even. Jake Klardie from Brennan Pierce and Tyler Lessard.

3rd Spaulding at 13:05. Even. Trevor Brennan unassisted.

OT Goffstown at 3:55. Even. Nick DiMarzio from Brandon Bograd and Max Ouellette. (GWG)

Special Teams:

Goffstown Power Play: 0 for 2.

Spaulding Power Play: 0 for 1.

Saves:

Goffstown: Ethan Santoro 30 of 33. (.909). (48:55)

Spaulding: Anabel Prochilo 32 of 36. (.889). (48:55)

(from Jen Webber Photography)

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 current look at my ‘hockey office’. So many hours spent in this space, tracking numbers and capturing season after season. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2023.

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.

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it: If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.” ~ Jim Valvano on how to live life, during his ESPY speech.

“I started writing sports stories 20 years ago. I still do. I write because somewhere, in some game, a kid might be having the time of his or her life. That’s awesome to think about. It’s all about the kids.” ~ Steve Beal Sr.