Me Hockey

Me Hockey – December 26, 2025 – JFK Coliseum.

Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Tournament

– Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey –

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:22.

 

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! BC and AD came about because of the birth of a ‘once in an eternity’ baby in Bethlehem. Yet, we still spend too much time and effort on presents, and overlook presence in each moment. The rewards aren’t even comparable.

 

 

December 26 –

Goffstown lost, 4-1. They were outscored 2-1 while enjoying power play opportunities. Bedford was the better individual, I mean, team. The Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey team got on the board in the final period while on a 5-on-3 power play.

When the kids were small, and even not so small they loved playing knee hockey. They still do. They play in living rooms, basements, hotel hallways, conference rooms, and so on. Pretty much they play wherever they can play. It’s fun. They dive and scramble, and laugh. They love the game and probably are quite fond of those they play with, and against. Kids being kids.

Nowadays I see a lot of ‘me hockey’. And honestly, I don’t know if it’s generated by the kids or the coaches. Whatever that factor is, it gets multiplied by a lot from parents. I am certain that there are parents’ voices in the ears of many players. Telling their kid how it should be, which unfortunately is most likely ‘me hockey’ first, then the other kids who have the following ’27 symptoms of the less than desirable player than my child the hockey player syndrome’.

Some parents are probably much more team oriented. Even their little mini-me avatar, caricature, cartoon character on their kids shoulder whispers a ‘team first’ approach into the young players ear. But they are probably not in the ‘cool’ group of tailgating parents. Because everyone and everything is pushed to be specialized these days.

One sport all year round. The same group of, ‘my child is the best, or at least better than yours’, older than kids who claim to be raising children. All smiling (sometimes) at one another while waiting to throw anyone and everyone under the bus at the first chance it might clear a better path for their offspring. Just awesome. What an experiment with our children.

Meanwhile the great win machine produces about as much as a wind farm produces on a formerly pristine mountain ridge. The win machine might produce more wins, at all cost (of course), once in awhile, so who cares about the carnage in the wake. The wind farm produces, well not much, but at least it’s at great cost, so somebody wins. Yay!

Then there is this, who is raising our kids? Who is coaching them?

Can you imagine this scenario: An obsession with winning at all costs, even short selling the future.

 

Adult: 

Oh, life is bigger

It’s bigger than you, and you are not me

The lengths that I will go to

The distance in your eyes

Oh no, I’ve said too much

I set it up.

 

Player: 

That’s me in the corner

That’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don’t know if I can do it

Oh no, I’ve said too much

I haven’t said enough.

 

Both (talking over each other):

I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try.

 

Player:

But that was just a dream

Try, cry, fly, try

That was just a dream, just a dream.

 

Me hockey. Islands of one. Watch them go.

 

Somewhere in a private thought, some parents wonder, what about the imagery of “rising up like eagles”. What about strength (the gaps between top and bottom of the roster aren’t that big, are they?), strength in numbers even, and renewal (roll the lines, responsible shifts), and soaring above hockey life’s troubles. Isaiah 40:31: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” I have to admit that it does sound quite promising.

And they wonder what is possible when we bring all of our individually renewed strengths together, we become an unstoppable force. We don’t just rise as individuals; we soar as a team.

 

Then there’s me. Late at night. Dozing off. Actually in a corner.

 

I thought that I heard you cheering your line-mate.
I thought that I heard you shouting encouragement in their name.
I think I thought I saw you, all of you thrive.

That was just a dream, just a dream.
Just a dream, Does anyone else dream?

Then I woke up and looked at the game sheet and game video.

And now I must find my way back to hope and joy. They are available.

 

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Games five, six, and seven are on the three days following Christmas. The Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey team will play in the Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Tournament again this year. All games are played at JFK Memorial Coliseum in Manchester, NH.

 

 

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Goffstown Grizzlies vs. Bedford Bulldogs.

JFK Memorial Coliseum, Manchester, NH.

NHIAA Hockey: Game five.

Friday, December 26, 2025.

 

 

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NHIAA Hockey:

Brian C. Stone Memorial Christmas Tournament.

Goffstown Grizzlies Penalties:

• Fratus – 2:00 – Unsportsmanlike Conduct.
• Beland – 2:00 – Roughing.

Goffstown was 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Bedford Bulldogs were 0-for-1.

• Goffstown Grizzlies – Jake O’Neil (Jr.) made 22 saves on 26 shots (.846).
• Bedford Bulldogs – Savo Ftorek made 30 saves on 31 shots (.968).

 

Here we go.

1. 1. 1st 1:06 – Bedford Bulldogs – Even – Dylan Riccio from Aaron Warble and Colin Langianese. Goffstown was too high, too wide, not too low as the two closest players to the Goffstown goaltender were Bedford players. 1-0.
   2. 1st 2:22 – Bedford Bulldogs – Even – Gabe Mirek from the blue line, through a screen. Jagger Querci and Gavin Petrie. Goffstown turned the puck over and then inadvertently screened their own goaltender. 2-0.
   3. 1st 14:35 – Bedford Bulldogs – SHG – Dylan Riccio unassisted. He took a rebound in the D zone, and skated past three Grizzlies en route to the shortie. 3-0.
   4. 2nd 00:16 – Bedford Bulldogs – SHG – Aaron Warble unassisted. Just a good old fashioned pick pocket at the bottom of the circle. Pick, backhand flip, goal. 4-0.
   5. 3rd 1:10 – Goffstown Grizzlies – 5on3 PPG – Jackson Horne from Zack Tarrier and Owen St. Onge. St. Onge ripped a shot wide and Tarrier retrieved the rebound. He held the puck for a second while checking his options. He turned and quickly fed a pass, cross-ice, through traffic. The pass was on the money. Horne stepped in and fired from the face-off dot for the goal. Nice play. 4-1.

 

You can find news, video, updates, and all kinds of interesting tidbits involving Goffstown Grizzlies hockey here, Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey.

 

 

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The thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributors, mostly mine. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the leagues, schools, coaches, players, or characters listed in any of these blog posts. Or, maybe they do. Either way, you would have to ask them directly.