A Win Is A Win – Goffstown Hockey

– A Win Is A Win – Goffstown Hockey –

– Goffstown vs. Portsmouth-Newmarket – Sullivan Arena –

It was great to be back at Sullivan Arena for hockey. The Goffstown Grizzlies earned a 5-4 victory that left me scrambling to describe the full 45 minutes. I settled on, a win is a win. But it was probably more than that.

 

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There was something about the Goffstown hockey game on Saturday night. Or maybe there were more than one somethings about the Goffstown hockey game on Saturday night. First, for me, was that I thought the Grizzlies showed a pretty good level of play from all of their players. Yes, there were goals allowed, and some players didn’t have the best +/- rating on the night. I know there was some inexperience that led directly to goals against, but I trust that the learning is happening.

Secondly, I know I wasn’t alone with a feeling that the Goffstown hockey team played for long stretches without a real sense of urgency. Energy? Maybe good energy, but not urgency. I heard that from a few other people as well. Of course, I speak these things from a perspective of knowing that the sands of time are flowing through the hourglass at what seems to be an elevated rate during each of our high school years.

Thirdly, rather oddly, was how the goals against the Grizzlies were scored. Or maybe better still, when they were scored. But let’s start with how the goals were scored against the home team.

1. The Grizzlies were coming out of their end with a quick D to D pass at the blue line. The puck bounced off a stick and Johnny Forrest fed Dom Eaton with an instant pass, for the break in and score.
2. The second goal was just one of the weirdest things that apparently no official saw. Alex Veary got hit in the crease by Forrest who was battling Jackson Horne as he skated through the crease. I am not sure there should have been a call, but play might have been stopped if a ref saw the goalie lying face down on the ice as play unfolded. Turner Leduc ripped a shot from the blue line that hit nothing but net while Veary was still down.
3. Grizzlies clear the zone but the puck was fumbled at center ice and and again as the puck came right back into the zone. Eaton with a sweet feed to Forrest for the Portsmouth-Newmarket goal.
4. This was just miscommunication in front of Veary, and Cal Rothstein put the puck in the net for Portsmouth-Newmarket.

 

 

The timing of the goals was astonishingly disproportionate to how the majority of the games minutes were played, or it was the law of averages ruling in favor of averages. It went something like this:

1. Portsmouth-Newmarket gets 9 shots and 0 goals, for 15:09, then scored on their first shot of the period, 10 seconds into the 2nd period.
2. Then the visitors, got 3 shots on goal over a 14:29 span and then scored with the goalie face first on the ice with 20.5 seconds left in the period.
3. After another stretch of 14:51, the Clipper Mules had mustered just 6 shots on goal, and then scored with 30 seconds left in the game.
4. The next shot on goal came 29 seconds later and was put in the net with a fraction of a second left in the game.
5. To recap, that’s 44:29 of game time with 18 shots on goal and no goals. I know goals are scored and tracked by the second, but these spans of no goals against, and few shots allowed, made me wonder just how close was this game to a 5-0 shutout.

Portsmouth-Newmarket goaltender, freshman, Will Clark somehow made 18 saves on 18 shots during the second period. This allowed the Clipper Mules to win the period, 2-0 despite being outshot 18-5. Early in the game, Veary made several saves on scrums in front of his crease, which allowed the Grizzlies to escape the opening period with a 2-0 lead. Ya, the law of averages will get you. Especially, if your play is not exceptional. See, exceptional often trumps average.

 

 

1. The Grizzlies take a 1-0 lead – The Grizzlies held possession of the puck in the offensive zone. And like a play-by-play account: Zack Tarrier back to Austin Campbell at the point. Campbell sends the puck low to the circle, off of Owen Matatall back to Tarrier. Tarrier makes a couple of silky smooth moves around defenders, to the side of the net. Beautiful cross crease pass to Sam Chapman who slams the one-timer home for the goal! Chapman (5) from Tarrier (6) and Matatall (1). 1-0.
2. Goffstown adds another goal, 18 seconds later – Chapman curled with the puck toward the slot and fired a shot. The puck was stopped but not controlled and Matatall poked a rebound into the pads. Then Tarrier grabbed that rebound and scored on the backhand. Tarrier (6) from Matatall (2) and Chapman (5). 2-0.
3. Third period, Grizzlies take the lead – Brock Bennett hit Tyler Lessard with a nice outlet pass that led to a rush up ice. The play temporarily fizzled out, when Lessard regrouped with the puck and Bennett followed to poke the puck toward the net amid a scrum in front of the net. Lessard saw the loose puck and pulled it to his forehand to put the puck past Clark in net. Lessard (8) from Bennett (3). 3-2.
4. Goffstown makes it a two-goal lead – Jackson Horne made the pass from the point to Tarrier in the corner. Tarrier stepped inside the face-off dot and let a low backhand shot go. The shot hit Clark’s pads and Lessard was right there to grab the rebound and put the puck in the net. Lessard (9) from Tarrier (7) and Horne (1). 4-2.
5. Grizzlies make it 3 in the 3rd – Matatall made a really nice outlet pass to Tarrier while taking a hit at his own blue line. The pass led to a great scoring chance when Tarrier carried the puck with speed into the offensive zone. Tarrier went left and passed right to Chapman who was cruising down the slot. Chapman took the perfect feed and made a skate-by deposit into the back of the net with a nice finish for the goal. Chapman (6) from Tarrier (8) and Matatall (3). GWG. 5-2.

 

The Goffstown hockey team held on for a 5-4 win on home ice. They improved to 4-3-0 in league play so far. They still have 11 NHIAA league games to play over the next 25 days. This should be a lot of fun.

 

 

 

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NHIAA Hockey:

Saturday, January 27, 2024

St. Anselm College – Sullivan Arena

Scoring:

Portsmouth-Newmarket Clipper Mules: 00 – 02 – 02 = 04

Goffstown Grizzlies: 02 – 00 – 03 = 05

 

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Shots on goal:

Portsmouth-Newmarket Clipper Mules: 09 – 05 – 08 = 22

Goffstown Grizzlies: 19 – 18 – 14 = 51

Goffstown Grizzlies Penalties:

1. O. Matatall (2:00-Unsportsmanlike)
2. Ellbeg (2:00-Roughing) (Matching Penalty)
3. Tarrier (2:00-Tripping)
4. B. Bennett (2:00-Roughing) (Matching Penalty)
5. Veary (2:00-Cross Check) (served by Klardie)

Goffstown was 0-for-5 on the power play, while Portsmouth-Newmarket was 0-for-3, but they did score a shorthanded goal to end the game.

Portsmouth-Newmarket Clipper Mules – Will Clark (Fr.) made 46 saves on 51 shots (.902).

Goffstown Grizzlies – Alex Veary (Sr.) made 18 saves on 22 shots (.818).

 

 

 

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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.