Written by – Wednesday Wins – Goffstown Hockey –
– Goffstown at Somersworth-Coe-Brown-Northwood – Rochester Arena – Rochester, NH –
It was just another Wednesday on the road for the Goffstown hockey team. And regardless of how any of us would grade their game against the Bearcats (SCBN), they were able to secure an exciting victory, 3-2.
After the dizzying pace of 8 games in 14 days, the Goffstown hockey team actually went 3 days without playing a game. I don’t know if it hurt the team, or helped the team, but they were able to get their 8th win of the season Wednesday night.
In fact, half of their 8 wins are Wednesday wins. They are 4-1-1 on Wednesday nights. And on the road, they are a perfect 3-for-3 with Wednesday wins. Either way, they are now 8-7-2 on the season with only their Sr. Night (1:00 pm in the afternoon) game on Saturday, February 24th at St. A’s against the Timberlane Owls.
If I have done the math correctly, the Grizzlies are locked into the #7 spot for the playoffs, as spots #1 through #7 cannot change regardless of the games tomorrow. The #8 and #9 teams could flip-flop but they both play their home games at Rochester Arena. Spaulding sits in the #8 spot and the Bearcats are in the #9 spot.
Again, if I have this correct, the Grizzlies will play #2 Oyster River in the QuarterFinals on Saturday, March 2nd at Oyster River.
On Wednesday night, the Grizzlies beat the Bearcats, 3-2. Goffstown scored a pair of goals in the first period and went to the intermission leading 2-0. They were outshot 13-9 in the first period.
The Bearcats cut into the Goffstown lead when they scored 6:23 into the second period on a very nice transition play. Chris Matthews made a pass to start the play and hit Giovanni Green along the half wall. Green stepped on the gas and made a nice pass on the move to AJ Kozlowski at center ice. They were flying up the ice. Kozlowski had a defender in front of him which worked as a screen on Kyle Bennett in net. Either way, his shot was near perfect, as it hit the inside of the far post and found the back of the net.
Goffstown allowed 18 shots on net in the middle period, and many of these were ‘should be goals’ but Kyle Bennett and good fortune said otherwise.
The third period saw 25 shots, 2 goals, and one penalty. The Bearcats held the advantage in shots again, 15-10. SCBN scored to tie the game, 2-2 with 4:17 left in the period. This goal came on a possession after Goffstown was unable to clear the zone.
JR Norris tried a wraparound but that was shut off, so he took the puck to the corner and ripped a pass that went through the slot to the opposite corner. Green chased the puck down and sent it deep, behind the net. This is where Aidan Tibbetts made a nice pass back to Green who was left all alone skating down the slot. Giovanni Green made no mistake on this shot, and the game was tied, 2-2.
Were the Grizzlies headed to a fourth straight overtime? It looked like it. Then Dylan Ellbeg, who was having a rough night, stepped up. Ellbeg had taken two penalties in the first period and he also had been on the ice for both goals scored against Goffstown. But his night did get better, and in a hurry.
105 seconds after the game was tied, the Grizzlies took back the lead with 2:32 left to play. Ellbeg got the game-winner.
In all, Kyle Bennett saved the Grizzlies bacon once again, with 44 saves. In the Goffstown hockey team’s last 5 games, they have a record of 1-2-2. Bennett backstopped all five games. The record could have easily been 0-5-0. In the 5 game span, Bennett made 182 saves on 192 shots faced, at an eye-popping .948 clip. Absolutely remarkable, especially while facing nearly 40 shots per night.
Here is how the Goffstown hockey team scored their three goals.
- The Goffstown hockey team scored their 10th power play goal of the season to start the scoring. After a few scoring chances, the Grizzlies finally cashed in. Austin Campbell had the puck in the corner and he fired a pass to the front of the net as the advantage time was running down. There was traffic out front and the pass hit off of Gavin Diodati’s stick which slowed the puck just enough. Just enough for Brock Bennett to grab the pass and fire the puck into the net with 10 seconds remaining on the power play. PPG – B. Bennett (2) from Diodati (8) and Campbell (9). 1-0.
- This play looked similar to plays in other games where the Grizzlies have managed to score, but goal scoring has not come easy. A potential scoring bid by Sam Chapman was broken up by a poke check. Zack Tarrier was skating in a just outreached Giovanni Green to poke the puck deeper into the slot. The puck somehow caromed between two defensemen back to Chapman. Chapman made a brilliant move in tight, and slipped a shot into the net. S. Chapman (13) from Tarrier (17). 2-0.
- It was looking like yet another overtime, late in the final period. Tyler Lessard carried the puck into the offensive zone but was funneled to the corner by the defense. He spun and threw a pass out to the high slot where Dylan Ellbeg happened to be. Ellbeg fired but the shot hit traffic and the only player to control the puck in the fray was Diodati. Diodati made a very nice, quick, short pass to tee up the puck for Ellbeg to shoot. Ellbeg was only a couple of feet from the net and he fired more quickly than accurately and that was just what the doctor ordered. The shot hit the net and the Grizzlies had the lead again. Ellbeg (7) from Diodati (9) and Lessard (8). 3-2. GWG.
NHIAA Hockey:
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Rochester Arena – Rochester, NH.
Scoring:
Goffstown Grizzlies: 02 – 00 – 01 = 03
SCBN Bearcats: 00 – 01 – 01 = 02
NHIAA Hockey:
Shots on goal:
Goffstown Grizzlies: 09 – 08 – 10 = 27
SCBN Bearcats: 13 – 18 – 15 = 46
Goffstown Grizzlies Penalties:
- Ellbeg (2:00-Cross-Checking).
- Ellbeg (2:00-Roughing).
- Hill (2:00-Holding).
Goffstown was 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Bearcats were 0-for-3.
- SCBN Bearcats – Dylan Cossette (Sr.) made 24 saves on 27 shots (.889).
- Goffstown Grizzlies – Kyle Bennett (Fr.) made 44 saves on 46 shots (.957).
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.
Leave a Reply