From Sullivan Arena in Goffstown, NH – February 10, 2019:
It’s always nice to win on Senior Night but to beat an exceptional team, the defending champions of the league you play in, in a great game on your home ice. Well, that is something beyond special. Goffstown outlasted Keene 4-3 on a night where the senior’s effort was the theme throughout.
Before I get to the game, I have to make an attempt at thanks, at showing gratitude and hoping I don’t leave anyone out from the humble observations that I make in a given space. I catch a lot, but I miss even more.
I wish the ceremonies could be seen by hundreds, if not thousands if only for others to see how much preparation goes into a night like last night. I can’t begin to list the people who give of themselves, above and beyond to pull off a night like last night. 10 seniors are leaving the program, and with all of the families parading through this space and that place, it’s quite an undertaking. The members of the board, Friends of Hockey for Goffstown High, outstanding work and vigilance to tradition, to creativity, and to making it so easy for the senior families. Thank you, Al Potvin, for the voice, the reading, the announcements, and taking all of that that on, to the benefit of us all. Thank you to Tobey Gamache and everyone else who held a door, who saved a seat, who cleared the path, who called out names, who prompted the next move, who snapped photo after photo, who volunteered and gave of their time to make the honorees feel special; thank you. You all were outstanding. The flags, the bear, the flowers, the balloons, the jerseys, the signs (those were so awesome that I want to stop and look at them some more), the senior boards, the family and group pictures, all were incredible and just make the moment that much more special. The list is long but somehow the moment passes in a flash not so dissimilar to how quickly four years of high school seem to go. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I do believe our kids know what it feels like to feel special, even if it takes some distance in years to fully realize it. Wow, we are truly blessed.
Why are we blessed? These ten. Drive. Determination. Passion. Refusing to settle for the way it has been. (Sage Photo)
I heard both, first and second hand, commentary from folks gathered around the senior boards up on the concourse. There were conversations, explanations, laughs, memories, moments, achievements, and proof of a kid’s sheer passion to master a sport that separates itself from all others by the simple fact that it’s played on a pair of razor blades. For many, that pursuit of passion has consumed as much as 70% of these kids young lives thus far. The support system necessary to pull off such a feat is one of the things that has me believing, still, that hockey teams and hockey families are the best of the best, across all sports, mainly because the structure of family within the pursuit of passion is not matched in any other team sport.
They are almost done yet it seems likely they just bearly got started. (That play on words is for you Dad). (Sage Photo)
I am humbled and honored to be a part of this group. (Sage Photo)
Let’s fill this place! Only one more regular season home game. Be there Saturday the 16th! (Sage Photo)
The Captain greets his team onto the ice for a tilt with Keene. (Sage Photo)
Nobody has ever seen the Grizzlie and Sean Hunter in the same place at the same time. #ferocious (Sage Photo)
The rest of the Grizzlies welcome the this year’s seniors to the ice in pre-game ceremonies. (Sage Photo)
Fortunately the Grizzlies, and their seniors, did not come out flat on Senior Night against the defending D2 Champions, winning 4-3. (Photo by Charron)
Most rinks have boards, but not like these very special boards. (Photo by Charron)
They say that some Grizzlies are more intimidating than others. (Sage Photo)
Cook, Burke, Lassonde, Beal, Noonan starting on Senior Night. (Photo by Charron)
I am not a senior mom, but I know quite a few. I was fortunate enough to be present in my own home when we hosted 10 senior hockey moms on Saturday night. I did have to sign numerous pacts of secrecy, pledge various allegiances, complete a few ritualistic tasks, and create a special workstation to employ the greatest technical arts and crafts kit I have ever laid eyes on, just to be allowed to continue with my humble ramblings. In the end, it was one of the best nights of the last four years. The stories, the sense of excitement to be kid-free for a night, the sense of humor, the collective time spent over the years, all of us together in our family room. All the moms, preparing as only moms can, for a visual presentation, the culminating of all the years, essentially leading to the high school sports version of a retirement night for 10 outstanding kids and their families. It is almost too much for me to even contemplate capturing. Let me just say that we had so much fun that our calendars are already being prepped for next year’s meeting; senior night, or not.
If you’re not making a face similar to this, you might want to step up your game a notch or two. Captain Seb, 51 wins, 114 career points. (Sage Photo)
Kyle, the backstop, with Alex McCarthy out front. (Sage Photo)
Jacob Noonan leans into a shot with all the seniors posted behind him. Colby netted this rebound. (Sage Photo)
Sometimes a goaltender has to stand on his head to stand tall in a game. Kyle did a little of that too in the 4-3 win over Keene. (Sage Photo)
It’s an optical illusion. Once this game got going it was like the Grizzlies were skating down hill. (Sage Photo)
Colin Burke delights the Goffstown home crowd with his derring-do. (Photo by Charron)
The one, the only, Devin Cote. Glad he came back this season. (Photo by Charron)
Senior, forward, Alex McCarthy. (Photo by Charron)
Okay, I am sorry to get off track or wherever I am but those moms apply a lot of pressure, there are royalties, speaking engagements, craft fairs, etc. lined up. It may have been a night that was a little too big for its’ own britches. Under the agreement, I am now supposed to write, for next year’s gathering, “Bring your own slippers”. Make of it what you will. I am a good soldier.
Alrighty then, the spotlight was dimmed, and the rink lights were raised to game time level. Lineups were announced while taking a moment to recognize the seniors on Keene’s roster as well. Then, GHS student, Serena Martinez crushed it completely! When she opened the game with a tremendous singing of our National Anthem. I was standing right beside her and the sweet, soft tones of her voice did the difficult song justice and then some. Thank you for being a part of the evening for all of us.
Sorry boys, I gotta get going. (Sage Photo)
Brett Lassonde skated with the wind at his back all night. (Sage Photo)
This is not an optical illusion. Jake is actually looking over his own shoulder. (Sage Photo)
This ain’t no slow dance. Make some noise and let’s rock this place! (Sage Photo)
Teammate behavior. (Sage Photo)
Goffstown erupted for 3 goals in the second period in their 4-3 win over Keene. (Sage Photo)
Theo, Grady, Luke, and Lassonde line up against Keene. (Sage Photo)
Chretien skates circles around opponents on a regular basis. (Sage Photo)
Calm as the other side of the pillow (RIP Stuart Scott), Noonan is another name for “no sweat”. (Sage Photo)
Theo Milianes tries to keep both feet inbounds while making the catch, but he was overthrown. (Sage Photo)
The game finally started and both teams were playing with good energy. Keene had just played on Saturday and ended Oyster River’s 7-0-1 unbeaten streak with a 5-1 win. Thus raising their own win streak to 3 in a row after losing 3 in a row. Goffstown hadn’t played since Feb. 2nd when they lost at Windham, because their game at John Stark on Wednesday night had been winter weathered out. Pleasantries were immediately renewed when Jerred Tattersall braced for a hit from Sebastian Beal in the opening seconds and butt-ended Beal in the throat when both players got their sticks up. No calls were made until the second period. Then, when Grady Chretien lost the puck in the offensive zone out high, Jerred Tattersall beat Colin Burke, who let up about two strides too early, to the front of the net and scored an unassisted goal at 4:10 of the period. It was Keene’s first shot on net. Not to be outdone, the Grizzlies answered with a goal of their own 55 seconds later. Colby Gamache made a nice little pass at center ice to Griffin Cook who carried the puck into the offensive zone. Cook and Sebastian Beal exchanged shots and rebounds before Cook buried the puck in the net, and the game was tied 1-1 at 5:05 of the period. After some back and forth play with Keene playing noticeably more aggressive offensively than in their first meeting out in Keene, the Black Birds got on the board again. Brian Langevin, who I call one of the best distributors of the puck in D2 because he puts the puck in good places at the right time consistently, set the goal up. Tyler Summers shot a puck over the net that was retrieved by Langevin who gave a little chip pass to Ben Brown in the corner. Langevin kept skating toward the end boards and got the puck back on a little touch pass from Brown. Langevin continued behind the net and dished a perfect backhand pass to Summers who had closed the gap, coming in from the right point. Summers met little resistance out front and put a shot off of the inside of the far post for the go-ahead goal at 9:29. So after one period, Keene led 2-1 on the board, while the Grizzlies had a slim lead in shots, 11-9.
Everybody is on their feet when Brett Lassonde requests a bench fly-by. (Photo by Charron)
Grady Chretien hustles so much, he once dove head first onto the ice to start a shift. (Photo by Charron)
Isaac McGregor lines up next to legendary guitarist, Joe Walsh. (Photo by Charron)
Isaac McGregor moves the puck against Keene. (Photo by Charron)
Jacob Noonan, Senior, defenseman on the move against Keene. (Photo by Charron)
Theo, the puck, and a little room to skate against Keene. (Photo by Charron)
Sebastian gets pulled over by a very heavy puck, or something like that. (Photo by Charron)
Griffin Cook loves to play in the snow. (Photo by Charron)
Word has spread around the league that when you see this scene unfold, there may be an update needed on the scoresheet. (Photo by Charron)
Alex McCarthy leans on his opponent once in awhile. (Photo by Charron)
Sebastian Beal uses the power of his mind the lift the puck to his stick. (Photo by Charron)
Eric DesRuisseaux uses his speed to get up the ice against Keene. (Photo by Charron)
The second period was barely underway when Jerred Tattersall cross-checked Colby Gamache in the right kidney area and dropped him flat on the ice. Then he followed Griffin Cook to the corner while the official had his arm in the air on a delayed penalty call and dropped him in the corner on a lazy that looked like the definition of boarding. Although Cook looked like he lost an edge anyway. After much discussion, the officials called a 5-minute major for interference on Tattersall. Either way, the Grizzlies went on a 5-minute power play trailing by a single goal, just 50 seconds into the period. Goffstown tied the game shortly thereafter, on a beautiful hockey play. Sebastian Beal sent a diagonal pass back to the right point but it was off the mark and Colin Burke used his reach and a long stick that was probably handed down by Paul Bunyan to deflect the puck to Grady Chretien and maintain possession. Chretien got pinned against the boards but did manage to get the puck back to Burke who let a nice wrist shot go towards the net. Sebastian Beal had gone to the front of the net and made a sensational play, tipping the puck from a waist-high shot that was going wide, down to the ice and past Jacob Russell in net for Keene. The game was tied again at 2:24.
There’s nothing like strength in numbers, and everything feels better when you win. (Sage Photo)
Sebastian flexes in front of the home crowd in the win against Keene. (Photo by Charron)
Colby Gamache calculates the exact trajectory and angle needed to bank this clearing attempt off of the glass, and put the puck on net to avoid icing. (Sage Photo)
Still, on the man-advantage, Chretien made a pass from center ice ahead to Burke who shaked-baked-rattled-and-rolled into an open seam and fed a perfect pass back to Griffin Cook who ripped a shot through traffic and into the net at 3:45. Colby Gamache and Sebastian Beal provided a screen that Jacob Russell was trying to see around when the puck hit the strings. Goffstown led 3-2 and was still on the power play for another 2:06. Momentum would shift in a big way though after Goffstown looked unstoppable on the power play. Sebastian Beal got tangled up with Peter Haas and dropped him from behind. Beal was only whistled for interference but it changed the flow of the game completely. Keene went on the offensive. Kyle LaSella made a series of saves including a textbook right pad save midway through the period to hold the lead. Even though the Grizzlies would play a strong period the rest of the way, they had to kill another penalty and you could see their energy depleting quickly. The home town squad did tally an even-strength goal at 13:08 though. The whole offense was involved on the play when Griffin Cook, Sebastian Beal, and Colin Burke all touched the puck before Jacob Noonan stepped in and ripped a shot off of Russell’s shoulder. The puck landed in front of the goaltender and Colby Gamache showed off his hands with a beautiful backhand shot up under the crossbar inside the far post where grandma hides the really expensive Christmas gifts. Goffstown outshot Keene 17-5 in the period and put up three unanswered goals to take a 4-2 lead into the dressing room.Hard work rewarded. Working too hard to celly. (Sage Photo)
The third period was a war of attrition. Goffstown played with good pace for the first 5 minutes or so, holding a 2-goal lead and trying to put the game away. The Grizzlies and their faithful thought for sure they had a 5-2 lead when Grady Chretien put a shot past Jacob Russell but Tyler Summers was on the back doorstep and made the save for Russell and Keene. But Keene kept pressing, and Goffstown’s legs looked a bit weary. Eight minutes into the period LaSella bailed out a tired squad in front of him with a pair of saves on the skilled Brian Langevin and the rebound follow up by Joe Walsh. Then just 28 seconds later Dimitri Seger found himself wide open in the high slot after the puck took a crazy bounce off of the glass on the right wing boards. LaSella, said I got this and snagged the shot with his glove.
LaSella played well and had eyes on the team’s 10th win of the season. (Sage Photo)
At 9:39 of the period the Grizzlies were whistled for icing when Grady Chretien banked a lifted puck off of the glass in his own end that traveled the length of the ice and gave Keene an offensive zone faceoff. Looking back at it I am guessing Chretien would have realized he had some time and some space to skate the puck out of the zone. Brian Langevin won the faceoff to Joe Walsh who shot the puck towards the net, but it caromed off of Griffin Cook’s thigh and onto the stick of Jerred Tattersall who didn’t miss with his shot. Suddenly it was a 1-goal game with 5:17 to play. Goffstown mustered enough will and enough offensive pressure to keep Russell between the pipes until 14:34 and then it was too late for the Black Birds. Keene outshot Goffstown 9-7 in the period, scored the only goal of the third, but couldn’t overcome a devastating second period, and fell 4-3. Goffstown improved to 10-3-1 on the season. Keene dropped to 7-5. Both teams are likely to be in the postseason and could very well meet again.
Colin takes Kyle LaSella under his wing for a moment while Brett makes sure that the coast is clear. (Photo by Charron)
With the win Coach, Ben Slocum bettered his own Goffstown program record with his 4th consecutive campaign coaching the team to at least 10 wins in the regular season. The Grizzlies travel to play a feisty Winnacunnet team at Phillips Exeter Academy on Wednesday night. Goffstown has Winnacunnet, Oyster River, John Stark-Hopkinton, and Alvirne-Milford left on the schedule. That’s not an easy finish, especially with three of these games on the road. Look out for John Stark-Hopkinton. They are 17-0 this season with a slight 100-19 edge in scoring over their opponents this season.
Somehow in my mind, goalies have to share a similar feeling to what a young gazelle goes through when spying a cheetah stalking it, Griffin Cook with the puck on his stick and room to operate. (Sage Photo)
Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH February 10, 2019. 5:00 PM Start:Kyle LaSella, thanks for coming to play hockey as a sophomore. Still standing. (Sage Photo)
