I have been writing this piece for a few weeks now and it dawned on me recently that my once-rapid pace of putting words to this place had slowed to a mere trickle or re-reading of words already written. I quickly understood why. It’s because somewhere beyond reality I held hope of another game, another picture, another story, another chance to write about this group. Why must it end this way? Why must it end at all?
This write up isn’t the same. No, this one is different. This game wasn’t the same as all the rest. And from my seat at the Rinks of Exeter, maybe my glasses were slightly rose-tinted. Yesterday’s Senior All-Star Classic was fun. It was some pretty good hockey with most kids playing on lines and combinations of players that were completely new to them. But the game didn’t suffer because of it.
NH High School Hockey Division II All-State Teams 1st Team Forward – Patrick Vetter – St. Thomas Forward – Jameson Goodridge – Dover Forward – Griffin Cook – Goffstown Defense – Keegan Youngclaus –…
Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH – March 2, 2019:
Every year, the Goffstown Hockey team selects a charity of choice. Or, over the last two seasons, they have decided to be hands-on and not let the parents and board members run a charity night…
Skate 3, Tyngsboro, MA – February 23, 2019:
From Lee Clement Arena, New England College, Henniker, NH – February 19, 2019:
From Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH – February 16, 2019:
Late on Wednesday night from Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH – February 13, 2019:
From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – February 10, 2019:
From Icenter Salem in Salem, NH – February 2, 2019:
From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – January 30, 2019:
From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – January 26, 2019:
From Dover Ice Arena in Dover, NH – January 25, 2019:
Players are held accountable by parents, coaches, ADs, and officials. Coaches are held accountable by ADs, officials, and parents/boards. Officials are not held accountable, and when they’re bad, they make a mockery of the game…
From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – January 16, 2019:
From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – January 12, 2019:
From Dover Ice Arena in Dover, NH – January 9, 2019: After last night’s trip to Dover, there remains only one team in D2 Hockey without a loss in league play, and that is Dover.…
From Rochester Ice Arena in Rochester, NH – January 5, 2019:
If you count the Christmas Tournament, Goffstown has played 10 games so far this season. Interestingly perhaps, they have played 9 of those 10 games on the road, away from Sullivan Arena in Goffstown. The Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Hockey Tournament was played at JFK Coliseum in Manchester, NH.
From Keene Ice in Keene, NH – January 2, 2019:
It’s a new year, and the Grizzlies made the long trip over some rather large hills to play at Keene, looking for a new result. Goffstown hadn’t beaten Keene in a hockey game since a 3-2 win at home on January 17, 2015. As a matter of fact, the Black Birds had won five straight against Goffstown, and by a lopsided total score of 27-7.
It was a great week. It was a record breaking week. It was a really fun week. It was Christmas week.
From J.F.K. Coliseum in Manchester, NH, December 29, 2018:
There is a team in Division II hockey that has compiled 36 regular season victories over the last 3 seasons. Yet, nobody counts them anything but usually out. They played Division I powerhouse, Bedford on Saturday afternoon at JFK Coliseum in Manchester for the title at the Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Hockey Tournament.
From J.F.K. Coliseum in Manchester, NH, December 28, 2018:
Goffstown played their third and final game of the round-robin section of the tournament on Friday afternoon, against Manchester Central/West. The Grizzlies were looking to go undefeated in their three tournament games for the first time in their history of playing in the Manchester Christmas Tournament (Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Tournament as of this year).
From J.F.K. Coliseum in Manchester, NH, December 27, 2018:
It was nice to show up to the rink and have the honor of listening to our National Anthem sung before the game. Being the first game of the day, the Anthem was played. The Bow Falcons and Goffstown Grizzlies, each entered the day with a 1-0 record in the tournament.
From J.F.K. Coliseum in Manchester, NH:
After Concord shutout Hanover 2-0, in the Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Hockey Tournament opener, the second game, between Goffstown and Manchester Memorial started slowly. Well sort of.
From James F. Campion Arena in West Lebanon, NH – December 19, 2018:
Goffstown went to Lebanon for their third road game in their first four games of the 2018-2019 campaign and earned a convincing 6-3 victory.
From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – December 15, 2018:
For the second game in a row, there was a pre-game tribute of sorts to someone who has been taken too early from this earth. I was asked to lead the moment from the booth, which I had no problem with. When I asked for some direction on what to say, or in what order, etc. I was told, “just wing it”.
From West Side Arena in Manchester – December 12, 2018
As I sat down to write this recap, I literally removed my baseball cap and sat in silence for 22 seconds to honor Hunter Burke and the Burke family as I had done with the crowd at West Side Arena yesterday afternoon.
From the Whittemore Center on the campus of UNH – December 10, 2018
On Monday night the Goffstown Grizzlies made their annual trip out to the spacious confines of the Whittemore Center to play the Oyster River Bobcats. In this opponent, the Grizzlies know that Oyster River is well coached, and usually structurally sound. The second period showed just that.
Goffstown scored 3 goals in the first period and added 4 more in the final period to come from behind and win their pre-season scrimmage game against Manchester Memorial at Sullivan Arena on Sunday evening.
Welcome hockey fans to the 2018-2019 hockey season! The calendar has flipped to November so go ahead and; Mark your Calendars!
