JV - Jam-packed Value - Full of Fun and Action - 1 In Awesome Wonder Featured Image

JV – Jam-packed Value

Saturday night was a difficult game to watch. For instance, it was like watching the tide come in while you’re at the beach. Then hoping that your beach blanket is out of the water’s reach. While you hold onto hope, until the water finally soaks the blanket, but just barely. So close.

Whereas Sunday afternoon there was a completely different vibe. Despite not having the use of the PA system to announce lineups, play the National Anthem, or call players names on goal, assists, etc. the game was a lot of fun.

Two teams met on the ice, and above all, the kids looked like they were having a blast playing hockey. It was contagious. It was a great game, full of action and effort. Jam-packed value.

JV – Junior Varsity

Junior Varsity – the up and coming. The younger classes. The future of the programs. While this may be true, the present was excellent. Both teams brought the energy and the effort. What’s more is that they appeared to be having fun. What a tremendous concept.

Here are the team rosters for the game that was played on Sunday afternoon: The first thing to remember about these lists of names is that they absolutely brought their love of the game to the rink on Sunday afternoon.

JV - jam-packed value — John Stark-Hopkinton-Hillsboro Deering General Hawks Hockey

JV – Jovial Veracious

We are so fortunate to have the volunteers that we have. The volunteer spirit and the idea of constantly raising the bar have been baked into the legacy that is Goffstown Hockey. Then again, there is room for more people to be involved. These game presentations don’t happen on their own.

With this in mind, I have to point out the broadcast team for the FaceBook Live Broadcast on the Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey Page. The captain and an alternate captain put on the headsets in the press box at Sullivan Arena for this JV game. Zack Tarrier and Owen St. Onge did a fantastic job calling the game. Three things impressed me the most about their efforts.

They did a great job articulating what they were seeing, and they didn’t miss a thing.
Their energy was very upbeat and positive.
The way they respect and cherish their teammates and the camaraderie found therein was impossible to miss. It was undeniably my favorite part. Significantly, there was both wisdom and an unmatched perspective shared by their peers.

Honestly, their love for their mates was obvious. Significantly endearing. Carter Smedick, it was good to see you out there on the ice. The boys think a great deal of you.

JV – Just Vibrant – 1

The General Hawks scored first. The goal came at 3:27 of the opening period. Will Racine rimmed the puck around the boards from the left point. When the puck got through two players to Daniel Brisson behind the net, the Grizzlies had rotated out of position. Brisson sent a pass out to the slot. Jackson Ouellette was there but turning the other way. Even so, the General Hawks had another player in the slot and he was ready to shoot. That player was Sam Scordo. Scordo stepped into his shot and pounded the puck behind Sean Burnett who was in net for the Grizzlies.

The General Hawks led, 1-0. Sam Scordo from Daniel Brisson and Will Racine. Even Strength at 3:27.

JV – Just Vibrant – 2

Goffstown got on the board almost six minutes later. Teddy Beal, Cam Desruisseaux, and Cam Fratus were on the fore-check after Michael Wilkins made a tremendous save on Beal’s backhand bid moments earlier. Eventually, the fore-check from Beal and Fratus led to a steal in the zone by Desruisseaux. Jaden Booth and Noah Paris were manning the points and making the space for movement a bit tighter.

Desruisseaux narrowly avoided a leg check/shoulder check and expertly moved the puck to Beal at the bottom of the circle. Beal fired the puck at the net with Fratus right there. The puck was deflected by Fratus which kept Wilkins from tying up the puck. The little black disc bounced to the low slot where Desruisseaux was closing in. Desruisseaux fired the rebound inside the far post as the screen of Fratus and Racine delayed Wilkins’ view of the shot.

Grizzlies tied it, 1-1. Cam Desruisseaux from Cam Fratus and Teddy Beal. Even Strength at 9:15.

JV – Just Vibrant – 3

It was another 18:59 of game time before the next goal was scored. In fact, there was only 1:16 left in the second period when Goffstown took the lead. Van Eames settled an elusive puck at center ice and tipped it ahead to Cam Fratus. Fratus had speed going into the zone and got around one defender. This quickly turned into a 2-on-1 with Teddy Beal skating on his right. Fratus put a great shot on net while Beal continued to the crease to check out the result of the shot. The puck got through Charlie Pierce (now in net for the General Hawks). Beal told me after the game that he paused on firing the rebound into the net because he was really hoping Fratus would get a goal in this game. Beal buried the rebound, and Goffstown led, 2-1.

Teddy Beal from Cam Fratus and Van Eames. Even Strength at 13:44 of the second. The rest of the scoring took place in the final period.

JV – Just Vibrant – 4

Zack Tarrier had been talking about Van Eames in the broadcast booth. Basically, the idea was that once Van Eames scored, the floodgates might open. Well, the reality is closer to the idea discussed.

In reality, it’s quite amazing how effective simple plays actually appear. Then, when you look more closely you realize that the execution of the ‘simple play’ was a bit more involved. Yet, the simple-ness of the play’s framework, is still just that, simple. Such was Goffstown’s third goal.

Eames won the draw back to his left defenseman, Zach Lessard. Explicitly simple. Straightaway, Lessard fired the puck from the high slot, between a pair of General Hawks. In truth, more simple things were happening. Cam Fratus was on the left wing when the face-off was won. As the puck came back to Lessard (never met a shot he didn’t like), Fratus boxed out his defender giving himself a view of the shot and the advantage of having his stick in the shooting lane for a tip or a rebound. The shot was on the mark which was the most important factor. Fratus saw it unfold and got his stick on the puck en route to the net. This little deflection kept Pierce from catching the puck and stopping the play.

Instead, the puck bounced just far enough away from Pierce to cover it. In the meantime, Eames had moved toward the net. Which allowed him to be the first player to the rebound and he pumped the puck into the open side of the net. Simple play with much detail ingrained in the execution. Great play.

Van Eames from Cam Fratus and Zach Lessard. Even strength at 1:12.

JV – Just Vibrant – 5

Again, details matter. Jaden Booth quickly moved a puck from the D zone to Teddy Beal at center ice. Beal and Cam Fratus were a shoestring away from a clean 2-on-1 break with the puck on Beal’s stick. Beal sped through center ice but got tripped on the play. Ultimately, a penalty was called.

Line change. Power play for Goffstown.

Due to the trip on the play at the end of a long shift, a new line came onto the ice for the power play. This was another beauty of the JV game, just roll the lines, even, up a man, down a skater, just roll the lines.

So, Desruisseaux centered Tyler Belanger and Chase Giampa up front. Noah Paris and Zach Lessard were back on D. This offensive zone face-off and subsequent exchange was about as self contained as you could get.

JV – Just Vibrant – 5a

After all, Belanger tapped a puck back into the zone while Desruisseaux and Giampa tagged up to get back onside. This led to a shot off the side of the net, and a blocker save by Pierce. While the Grizzlies really never let go of possession of the puck.

Desruisseaux took a pass from Giampa and let a shot fly from the top of the circle. Tyler Belanger had his stick right there as the puck, stick, and goalie pad came together at once. The puck was free and Belanger pushed it behind Pierce who had come out (rightly so) to cut the angle on the Desruisseaux shot. Another great play that looks simple when executed but you find there is more in the detail.

PPG – Tyler Belanger from Cam Desruisseaux and Chase Giampa. Power Play Goal at 6:47.

JV – Just Vibrant – 6

The General Hawks scored on a break away goal to make things a bit more interesting. Liam McGrail took a low shot from the point that was headed toward the net. However, the puck hit Corey Beland in the skate blade. This carom went right to Asher Fernandes who was circling at the top of the zone. He grabbed the puck and eluded the fly by poke check of Zach Lessard. Fernandes sped up the middle of the ice with Lessard, McGrail, and Beland in pursuit.

Fernandes finished strong and buried a shot just over Sean Burnett’s shoulder for the goal. Nice finish by Fernandes.

Unassisted goal – Asher Fernandes. Even Strength at 9:15.

JV – Just Vibrant – 7

There was less than 2 minutes to play. Goffstown led, 4-2 in an action packed, end to end game. All three goaltenders had made brilliant saves throughout, leaving fingerprints all over this afternoon affair. That is to say, Michael Wilkins, Charlie Pierce, and Sean Burnett played major roles in this unfolding story. An afternoon game filled with jam-packed value.

Burnett made a few incredible saves that led up to the final goal of the game.

The General Hawks were trying to set up possession of the puck in the offensive zone. Giovanni Fucile beat the opponent to the puck and rimmed the puck around the end boards with authority. Teddy Beal grabbed the puck on the side wall. Immediately, he looked up. He took about 5 strides and made a diagonal blue line to blue line pass. To be sure, the pass was on the money as Van Eames received the puck in stride, onside and was in all alone. To repeat, the floodgates were open and Eames made no mistake on his scoring bid. Finally, he made a nifty move to the backhand and buried the shot in the net to finish the play.

Van Eames from Teddy Beal and Gio Fucile. Even strength at 13:35.

1 Peter 4:10 (Living Bible)

God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.

We are blessed. May we bless still others in the sharing of our blessings. The grand picture is unquestionably bigger than anything we can see for ourselves. So give of yourselves while you are able. There is nothing here more rewarding.