Leads and Lessons

November 09-10, 2024 – Leads and Lessons: 2010 Flames.

Saturday night at Phillips Exeter the 2010 Flames took a 6-1 lead and held on for a 7-4 win against NH East. Then on Sunday, down in Canton, MA, the Flames led, 2-1, and 3-2, then barely held on and managed a 3-3 tie against the Huskies. Team scoring has picked up, with contributions coming from everyone in the lineup. The final period of games continue to be a difficulty for the Flames.

 

 

It was Saturday night and the team eventually found their way to the back side of Love Gymnasium, home to a pair of ice rinks, basketball courts, and more. Maybe it was just me, but there seemed to be a  different spirit in the air on that cool moonlit evening.

Maybe it was because we were at such a state of the art facility on a campus that is known the world over. Or perhaps it was the energy of seeing school and coach busses dropping off student athletes representing different sports at the back of the building before they disappeared into the vast concrete structure. It could have been the anticipation of players entering and exiting the ice with no doors to the benches.

Maybe it was because I knew that my daughter and grandson would soon be sitting beside me rinkside. Then my youngest brother, his wife, and their youngest son were also meeting us at the rink to watch the game too. It was also a long weekend for the kids, with no school on Monday, in honor of Veteran’s Day. Finally, it was another week closer to Thanksgiving, family time, and Christmas. My favorites.

Likely, it was a combination of all of these things, at least for me. And honestly, I think that Veteran’s Day should get a lot more attention than it does. Veterans, period, should be honored and lifted up wherever and whenever there is an opportunity.

Early observations:

• The seating area at the rink in Love Gymnasium is not ‘back or bone friendly’. Or as some might say, “Mighty uncomfortable”.
• The Zamboni driver had the machine dialed in. I mean, on the money. The resurfacing machine moved quietly and quickly. Within a few seconds of exiting the ice, the last traces of liquid left on the frozen surface were already melding in an icy unity. Beautiful.

 

 

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Game 22 of the season.

Leads and Lessons:

November 09, 2024.

Rink A, Love Gymnasium, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH.

Scoring:

• 2010 Flames: 03 – 03 – 01  = 07
• NH East: 00 – 01 – 03 = 04

Shots:

• 2010 Flames: 19 – 18 – 13  = 50
• NH East: 02 – 12 – 12 = 26

Penalties:

1. Booth – Holding.
2. Warren – Charging.
3. Powers – Hooking.
4. Soucy – Tripping.
5. Destani – Misconduct. (PPGA).
6. Soucy – Tripping.

 

The Flames jumped out to a quick lead, 3-0 after one period. They had 19 shots on goal in the opening period. But all would not remain as it might seem. Yes, the Flames did lead, 6-1 after two periods but cracks began to show. They allowed three goals in the final period, and there could have been more. A comfortable win? Maybe.

I know minute to minute can change drastically in a teenager’s attitude, effort, outlook, and demeanor, but let me put it this way. If the 2010 Flames played the same 3rd period from Saturday night in any period against the Boch Blazers last Sunday, they would have allowed six or more goals in that period.

Yes, I know they are different times, places, scenarios, etc. But the 2010 Flames are the same kids. Building on the outcome from an upset tie last week might have led to the dominating first period at Phillips Exeter. Then human nature kicked in and the Flames started retreating a bit from the higher standard.

I am not saying they should have put up a dozen goals if they could, but how about shutting down the opposition in the final period at least.

 

 

The 2010 Flames did score seven goals which is the most they have scored in a game this season. They netted five goals twice.

The Flames scored first, when Giampa had the puck down low. In my words, I noted a bounce, flip and a tip for the goal. Somewhere before the puck got past the goaltender, Destani had batted the puck toward its resting place beyond the goal line. Even – Destani from Giampa. 1-0.

Seconds later, Destani scored again from Giampa and Ouellette. Pass, pass, shot, redirected in. Even – Destani from Giampa and Ouellette. 2-0.

The Flames took a 3-0 lead when Pinkos ripped a shot from out by the point. St. Pierre, Drumm, Beal, and Petrie had worked the puck through the offensive zone before Petrie’s pass found Pinkos with a lot of room to shoot. The shot was true, and the Flames had another goal. Even – Pinkos from Petrie and Beal. 3-0. And 6+7=13.

The Flames led 3-0 (score), and 19-2 (shots) at the end of one period.

The second period started with the Flames scoring another goal from out deep. Pinkos scored on a shot from up top, toward the center of the ice. Beal and Drumm made the passes that set up the shot for the goal. Even – Pinkos from Drumm and Beal. 4-0.

Moments later, NH East scored on a shot, rebound, shot, rebound, shot, score. 4-1. This scenario would become a bit of a problem. After the Flames led, 4-0, NH East won the second half of the game, 4-3. With their two more of their goals coming on a shot or shots that were initially saved. Shooters were able to get their own rebounds too often.

The Flames had a great offensive possession before scoring their 5th goal. Beal ended up calmly tucking the puck into the net after Drumm, Petrie, and St. Pierre had all but scored themselves. Even – Beal from Drumm and Petrie. GWG. 5-1.

Ouellette was on the penalty kill after a Flames penalty. He took the puck from his own end. Actually, he stole the puck from the other team, but then he quickly returned it to the other team’s headquarters, in the net. It was a nice shorthanded breakaway goal. SHG – Ouellette unassisted. 6-1.

The 2010 Flames final goal of the night, came on the power play. Giampa pounded the puck into the net on a great feed from Destani. PPG – Giampa from Destani. 7-1.

Ingalls started in net and faced only 10 shots, making 9 saves including a pair before NHE’s first goal. Rosenbeck played the second half of the game and made several nice saves, going 13 for 16.

 

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Game 23 of the season.

Leads and Lessons:

November 10, 2024.

Red Rink, Canton Ice House, Canton, MA.

Scoring:

• 2010 Flames: 02 – 01 – 00  = 03
• Boston Jr. Huskies McCarthy: 01 – 01 – 01 = 03

Shots:

• 2010 Flames: 11 – 07 – 06  = 24
• Boston Jr. Huskies McCarthy: 08 – 06 – 19 = 33

Penalties:

1. Powers – Hooking. PPGA.
2. Booth – Tripping.
3. Booth – Tripping.
4. Powers – Hooking.

 

There was no entourage accompanying me for this game. It was just me, my coffee, notepad, pen, and phone. Along with my good friends, the 2010 Flames hockey family. So that’s a lot, really.

This was a pretty good hockey game. I mean, I stayed and watched.

Notes I made during the game: In order for the most part.

• Too much water on the ice.
• No. 2 and 27 not dressed.
• F12 down.
• Shot, Reb, Score, too easy.
• Cannot clear all day.
• Flames 12 crossbar. Out.
• Flames 00 big saves, on rush.
• 87 snipe on the steal.
• Huskies getting around corner too easy.
• Always on the forehand.
• Way too much snow on the ice.
• Flames 36 crossbar.
• Flames inability to clear the puck all game is dream crushing.
• Being dominated.
• Should have been penalty shot.

 

The Huskies have at least a handful of decent skaters. They proved again and again that they could use their speed to get to the outside and cut to the net. Their pressure was enough to disrupt the Flames breakout all game long. Perhaps the Flames are a better team but they still need to play the game that way. The contest usually tells the story pretty well.

The game began with the 2010 Flames taking an early penalty. The Huskies scored a power play goal. Shot, rebound, score all in the slot down low. The Flames did answer a little bit later, making a play out of nothing at all.

The Flames had dumped the puck deep. Soucy was first to pressure the defender. The defenseman reversed directions against the end boards figuring this sudden move would lose his pursuer. It did not. Soucy slapped at the puck with his stick as he slammed on the brakes. This disrupted the defender and he ended up throwing a weaker clearing pass up the middle of the ice.

Mooney met the intended receiver of the pass at about the same time and knocked the puck free. In that second or two Warren and a buzzing Soucy were already trying to make a play on the suddenly loose puck. Warren tipped the puck as Soucy flailing stick swiped in a wide motion toward the puck, catching it clean and sending the puck in a hurry along the ice just inside the far post.

The goalie had not expected this to happen at all, let alone this fast. It was a clearing pass, break up, and loose puck all in the matter of about three seconds. Then it was in the net. This is why you dump and chase, with intense urgency, because it causes mistakes and creates opportunity. Good goal. Even – Soucy from Warren and Mooney. 1-1.

Later in the period Mooney absolutely pummeled a shot on net but the puck hit the crossbar and I heard the iron whimper. Rosenbeck made some big saves off of rushes where the Huskies, on their forehand always, were able to get wide and cut to the net.

Then on a chance that looked like it had died the Huskies had gained control of the puck right beside their net. The Flames were still in the zone and the Huskies tried an ill-advised clear attempt up the middle. Powers picked off the pass in the circle. He stepped toward the middle to his left and shot to his right, a wrister. His shot tickled the twine behind the net minder. Even – Powers unassisted snipe. 2-1.

The Huskies tied the game in the second period, 2-2. It might sound familiar. My notes. Huskies goal, shot, rebound, score. Too easy. Then the Flames followed that up with a pair of tripping penalties that they were able to kill. Rosenbeck played his half, making 9 saves on 11 shots. He faced some tough chances with speed. And it was only getting worse.

The Flames took a 3-2 lead after a nice possession in the O zone. Beal and Booth had a pass, a shot, a rebound, another shot, and were enforcing their will in the slot area when St. Pierre decided to put an end to all of that. He did. He smacked the puck into the net after the light scrum out in front of the net. Even – St. Pierre from Beal and Booth. 3-2.

The 2010 Flames took a 3-2 lead into the final period. Early in the period it looked like the Flames might double their lead but Destani’s shot glanced off of the crossbar and out. The Huskies scored moments later, down low, without much interference. 3-3.

 

 

The Huskies scored another goal a few minutes later but the ref had already blown the play dead. The point being that the Huskies were bringing it to the Flames. Nine minutes into the period, the Huskies owned an 11-2 advantage in shots, and had scored the game-tying goal already.

The Flames allowed a breakaway bid in the final ten seconds and Powers took a hooking penalty while trying to keep the scoring chance from happening. It should have resulted in a penalty shot but they called a minor, and dropped the puck for one more face-off. Even that, with a handful of seconds on the clock, led to a shot that Ingalls had to kick out at the buzzer.

The visitors escaped the Canton Ice House with a 3-3 tie. Ingalls had stopped 21 of 22 shots in the second half of the game.

I heard that this was something Ingalls had asked for as he mistook my pen and notepad as one belonging to a scout. I think he told some of the Flames players to take it easy, maybe even play a couple players down, so he could really show the scout how well he could play.

It turns out I may have made that part up, but I did scout the coffee value and Zamboni performance along with the ice’s response. Coffee good. Service friendly, like 6 cups of coffee into a 30-minute shift friendly, but friendly. 16 oz. cup. Price, $3.00 ($1.50 for the coffee, $0.50 for putting it in a cup versus dumping it in my hat, fees and taxes were nicely rounded to next highest even hundred cents). Nice little place to get a coffee. Value – better than average.

Zamboni needs a ‘lane assist’ option. But all of the previously frozen areas were eventually covered with new water, perhaps fresh. The Zamboni made excellent time in the straight-away’s. Interestingly, the Zamboni was on the ice for about seven and a half minutes, before the leaving a snow bank and an untouched swath of ice from one crease to the other. Then it departed the ice.

The Zamboni was off the ice for a 2:45 pit stop. It returned to action for another five minutes, with plenty of water. The snow bank was cleared. Then in a series of S-turns and a curly-Q type maneuver the Zamboni took off for the end furthest from the exit. All I could think of was a rancher on horseback who had forgotten how to get back to the ranch house. Ultimately, the ice did get cleared. Assessment – Trying too hard to impress the teacher. Leave an apple on the dasher and get the work done. A – for effort though.

 

 

Over the weekend, the 2010 Flames had big leads and small leads. They were behind once. They gave up leads twice. Even in a win by three goals, there were lessons to be learned. Leads are good, but not when you lean on them. If learning is happening, and I believe it is, then leads and lessons learned will help the team moving forward.

 

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Mooney’s Moonshots

So this is why I call these Mooney’s Moonshots. Well, the name Mooney, that already gets us headed in the right direction. Then there is this. Moonshot. While ‘moonshot’ originally meant “long shot”, it’s increasingly being used to describe a monumental effort and a lofty goal—in other words, a “giant leap”. Moonshot is also used to describe a towering home run. And home run is a large gain, or popular success.

So ya, I like Mooney’s Moonshots because it stands for all of that.

Thank you for the time you spend to take the pictures and go through them, load them, and then freely share them.

Win at NH East.

Tie 3-3 at Huskies.

 

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

 

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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.