Digging Holes and Zero Goals - 2010 Flames

February 18-19, 2023 – 2010 Flames – Digging Holes and Zero Goals. The Flames played four games over the weekend, and they won two and loss two. They covered some 250 miles and shared plenty of smiles. But the results were all about digging holes and zero goals.

The unrestricted views from Cyclones Arena. Then again, I could have just moved. But there was a girder of a shelf right behind me and that held my coffee mug perfectly, so. There you have it.

Saturday morning we made the 30 mile ride down to Hudson, NH for a game with the Northern Cyclones. The 2010 Flames scored two early goals, and went on to win, 4-0. Will Rosenbeck and Travis Ingalls split the duties and kept the math simple. 0 (goals allowed) divided by 2 (goalies) still equals a shutout. The 2010 Flames seventh shutout this season. That is the zero goals piece of the equation.

After the game we had just enough time to get home, jump start our truck, and power down some wonderful homemade, home-grown-eggs and cheese breakfast sandwiches before leaving for game two of the day. We hit the short path over to West Side Arena for a game with the MinuteMan Flames.

So, digging holes and zero goals, stems from this, the 2010 Flames fell behind, 3-0 in the first period. That’s digging a hole. The hometown Flames did fight back to score two goals, but could not get another one to go. So, they fell, 3-2, and split the day with a win and a loss. In a phrase, they did both, digging holes and zero goals.

I covered the Class of 2023 Senior Night for the Goffstown Grizzlies on Saturday night but the jumpstart to our truck earlier didn’t hold. I had to get a ride to the rink to emcee the ceremony, but that’s a story for another time.

On Sunday we took a trip some 70+ miles northwest and played at the James W. Campion III Rink in West Lebanon, NH. This game, the 2010 Flames skated out and were about as flat as the fields my wife and I walked outside the rink, before the game. For the second game in a row, the Flames were down, 3-0 after one period. This time, there was no coming back. They scored once, but allowed two more, and fell, 5-1.

: Caleb follows through on a shot that he ripped against Hanover.

After the game, a few of us made the 1 mile ride over to Molly’s Restaurant & Bar in Hanover, on the campus of Dartmouth College for some lunch. It was busy. Service was a bit slow. But the food was outstanding and so was the company. It was a great stop, but we couldn’t stay too long.

We had 100 miles to cover to get down to Skate 3 for the last game of the weekend. I don’t know what happened between the two games, besides an awesome lunch, but the 2010 Flames were ready to play against the Islanders at Skate 3.

The Flames jumped out a 1-0 lead after one period, and then added a pair of goals in each of the final two periods. The goalie firm of Rosenbeck and Ingalls performed brilliantly and pitched their second shutout of the weekend. It was the 2010 Flames 8th shutout of the season. And there you have it, two games up, two games down. Digging holes and zero goals.

James W. Campion III Rink. The last time that the game was tied. I was actually quite optimistic at this point though. Then the Flames fell way behind and my feet started getting cold. © 1inawesomewonder 2023.

Saturday, February 18, 2023. Cyclones Arena.

Score by period:

Northern Cyclones : 00 – 00 – 00 = 00
2010 Flames: 02 – 00 – 02 = 04

Flames goals in order:

Logan McCain pushed the puck toward Garrett Warren outside the blue line. Warren dumped the puck into the zone, out in front of Andy Soucy who was already skating full speed. Soucy slid a backhand pass to the slot where Lucas Ouellette was filling the lane. Ouellette shot but it was saved. Lucas followed his rebound and put the puck in the net. 1-0, Ouellette from Soucy and Warren.
Next shift, McCain took an errant pass from the Cyclones at center ice and rushed forward with the puck. The Cyclones were making a line change and Logan danced through the defenders on the way to an unopposed goal. 2-0, McCain unassisted.
Sean McGee rifles a shot off of the crossbar. The rebound comes out toward the slot and Sean swipes at the puck, getting just a piece of it. Teddy Beal is right there and he quickly gathers the puck for a backhand shot. His shot hits a defenders stick and slides right to Ian Kaveney, who simultaneously thanks his linemates by depositing the puck into the net. 3-0, Kaveney from Beal and McGee.
On the power play, after a Gavin Petrie face-off win, Jordan Hawkes dug the puck out of the corner and slid a pass back to the left point. Jaden Booth teed up a shot and let one rip. The puck went to the end boards, where Petrie made a quick play to get the puck to the front of the net via the pass. The pass was true and found Jacob St. Pierre who shot immediately. His blade pushed the puck forward just a split second before the defenders blade made contact. This force the puck up into the air like a gorgeous topspin lob in tennis. Except, this puck was perfectly arched to sail over the goalie but still fly under the crossbar. That’s what the puck did. Good goal. St. Pierre from Petrie and Booth on the power play. 4-0.

Saturday, February 18, 2023. West Side Arena.

Score by period:

MM Flames: 03 – 00 – 00 = 03
2010 Flames: 01 – 00 – 01 = 02

Jacob St. Pierre wins an offensive zone faceoff on the power play. The puck came right to Jordan Hawkes along the boards and he sent a pass to the left point. Logan McCain was at the point and he danced around the defender with the puck and fired a shot through traffic toward the net. The puck did hit the goalie but still went in the net. Power play goal, McCain from Hawkes and St. Pierre. Down, 3-1.
With a 6-on-3 advantage (2 penalties on the MM Flames and our goalie pulled) the 2010 Flames were trying to come back. As MM got one player back, Logan McCain shot the puck to the front of the net through a maze of players. Somehow the puck got through but glanced to the corner. Lucas Ouellette was on it quick, and made a pass to the right point where Jaden Booth took a nice wrist shot labeled for the net. Teddy Beal was in front and made an awesome tip of the puck. The puck bounced toward the net, but the MM goalie made an incredible pad save. Beal followed his deflection and pushed the puck into the net through the narrow gap between the post and the goalie’s skate. Down, 3-2 with 1:09 left. Power play goal, Beal from Booth and Ouellette.

Clean sheet of ice. Home whites. Full house, or maybe not. Watching for the referees so they can take the ice. (Photo courtesy of Glam Shots by Shannon – “We put the shots in Glam Shots by Shannon. Cheers!”)

Sunday, February 19, 2023. Campion Rink.

Score by period:

Hanover Wild : 03 – 00 – 02 = 05
2010 Flames: 00 – 01 – 00 = 01

Flames goals in order:

With some possession time in the zone, Garrett Warren threw the puck through the slot and it ended up in the opposite corner. Lucas Ouellette controlled the puck and made a nice pass to the slot. The pass was behind Andy Soucy a bit, but Soucy spun with the puck to his forehand side and slid a shot inside the far post for the goal. Soucy from Ouellette and Warren. Down, 3-1.

Sunday, February 19, 2023. Skate 3 Red.

Score by period:

Islanders: 00 – 00 – 00 = 00
2010 Flames: 01 – 02 – 02 = 05

Flames goals in order:

Garrett Warren puts in a shot after a flurry of shots and rebounds. Warren, Andy Soucy and Lucas Ouellette were bouncing pucks off of the goalie like a homemade version of paddle-puck (it’s like Paddle Ball). This goal came after some offensive zone possession time for the Flames. Warren from Soucy and Ouellette. 1-0.
While on the power play, Cooper Lazzaro shot from the point but the puck went wide, just missing Teddy Beal’s stick at the far post. The puck skidded through corner and out toward the point. Caleb Powers stepped in and wristed a shot past Beal and off of the goalie’s right pad. The rebound came right to Ian Kaveney who fired the puck into the yawning open net. Kaveney from Powers and Lazzaro, on the power play. 2-0.
Another PPG. The Flames lost the O zone faceoff and the defender ripped the puck behind his own net and through the far corner. That wasn’t enough steam and Caleb Powers handled the clearing attempt with ease. Powers shot the puck low, along the ice, where Andy Soucy deflected the shot past the goaltender for the goal. Nice, simple play for the goal. Soucy from Powers on the power play, 3-0.
The Islanders had a potential odd man rush developing when Logan McCain excused himself into the play. McCain swept in front of the rushing (not Russian) forward, and gently removed the puck from his possession. McCain continued his trajectory up ice and I wrote in my notes, “rush, dekes, shot, score”. McCain unassisted goal, 4-0.
On the power play, Sean McGee won the offensive zone faceoff to Ian Kaveney. Ian passed the puck back to the left point. Logan McCain grabbed the pass and ripped a shot toward the crease. Just as the goalie dropped to the butterfly and the puck approached, Teddy Beal tipped the puck. The puck slowed down but changed direction enough to squeeze through the goalie’s pads. Power play goal, Beal from McCain and Kaveney, 5-0.

The 2010 Flames celebrate their 5-0 win over the Islanders down at Skate 3. Their 4th and final game of the weekend. © 1inawesomewonder 2023.

Just for the fun of it, or maybe for the reality of it, let’s dig into the ‘digging holes and zero goals’ weekend.

In the Flames two wins, they allowed 0 goals.
In the two wins, they were whistled for a total of 2 penalties.
In the two wins, the 2010 Flames scored 4 power play goals.

In the Flames two losses, they fell behind 3-0 in each of the first periods.
In the two losses, they were whistled for a total of 9 penalties.
In the two losses, the 2010 Flames did score 2 PPG’s (against the MM Flames), while allowing one power play goal against.

: Teddy hustles to the ice while manning the rear guard, because you never know.

: Opening faceoff from Skate 3 against the Islanders and it seemed like just moments earlier I was comfortably seated at Molly’s up at Dartmouth.

: The Flames celebrate one of their five goals en route to their 5-0 shutout victory down at Skate 3.

You can find more 2010 Flames material in these pieces, here. 2010 Manchester Flames.

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.