February 22, 2023 – One Too Many. The Goffstown hockey team played an incredible 11:52 of hockey to start the game, but had nothing to show for it. Nothing but a 12-3 advantage in shots. Then they gave up the first goal, or the goal that became one too many.
To me, in Goffstown’s two losses to Somersworth-Coe-Brown this season, Connor Strum (diving to block a 3rd period shot here) and Jonny Pelletier willed their team to victories. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The Goffstown Grizzlies were playing a great game thus far. They had taken a penalty half way through the first period, but killed it off with little difficulty, allowing just a single shot on goal. The home crowd at Sullivan Arena had been treated to some good scoring chances from Goffstown, and an impressive, 12-3 advantage in shots on goal. Only, the Grizzlies still hadn’t scored.
Then, the Grizzlies were called for their second penalty of the opening period. On the Somersworth-Coe-Brown (SCB) Bearcats’ fourth shot of their second power play, they scored. It was a ‘Grade A’ scoring chance. Connor Strum fed a pass across the low slot to a wide open Jonny Pelletier, who smashed a one-timer past Jake Webber and into the net. Just like that the Goffstown hockey team trailed, 1-0 and SCB had grown their shot total to 7 shots in the period. For sure, the way the Grizzlies played in the opening period this allowed goal was one too many.
Goffstown managed another pair of shots on goal in the final 1:36 of the period, but trailed 1-0 at the first intermission. There were a pair of roughing penalties, called to each team as matching penalties at 13:49. Goffstown obviously was still very much in this game, but to trail after fifteen minutes after playing so well, was a little heavier than your average one-goal deficit.
The Bearcats took a 2-0 lead when Dylan Burovac was knocked off of the puck at center ice, but the puck slid over to JR Norris. Norris curled into the offensive end and then turned hard to his left toward the high slot. Norris was given free passage cutting across the zone and as he worked toward the opposite circle he fired a wrist shot back in the direction of where he had come from. The shot was true, and it found the far side top corner over Webber’s shoulder. Two Grizzlies took swipes at the puck as Norris crossed their zone, but nobody got in front of him or even tried to disrupt his path. This might have been the goal that was one too many.
Several minutes later, the Goffstown hockey team would fall even further behind, allowing a 5-on-3 power play goal. It’s hard to get too critical about a goal allowed when you are two players short. This shot looked like it was deflected right off of the shooter’s stick and ended up flying over Webber’s shoulder, up under the crossbar. Pelletier won the offensive zone face-off to Tully Keefe. Keefe worked the puck back to the right point where Strum was positioned. Strum slid the puck over to the other point where James Sawyer stepped in and fired the puck past Webber from just above the face-off dot in the circle. 3-0. This goal was the one too many, as far as the scoresheet reads.
Captain, Xavier Bibaud rips a shot at Sullivan Arena against the Bearcats. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The Goffstown Grizzlies would get one goal back before the second period would end. Just as Xavier Bibaud stepped out of the penalty box and went to the bench, Brandon Bograd came on the ice as the 5th skater. As this was happening, Jake Klardie took possession of the puck back in the defensive zone. Klardie looked up and hit Bograd with a perfect pass and Brandon skated in all alone. Bograd netted a beautiful wrist shot to cut the lead to, 3-1 with 3:40 to play in the period.
Goffstown then had a great chance to cut further into the deficit when they had a power play opportunity at 12:05 of the period. The Grizzlies were unable to score. All night they had good chances. All night Reilly Quist left rebounds on many of these good chances. But, all night, the Bearcats clogged the slot area with defenders and almost every rebound came to a Bearcat and not a Grizzlie. Goffstown went to the second intermission, trailing, 3-1.
The Grizzlies started the final period with a full 2-minute power play advantage. I don’t think that I am being at all unkind when I say that this was one of the least effective power plays that many of us have seen in some time. Jake Webber made a brilliant save on a SCB breakaway to keep the deficit where it was. Between way too much water on the ice to start the period (a problem at St. A’s most of this season) and the Bearcats skating circles around Goffstown, this not a strong two minutes of hockey.
Eventually, with the Grizzlies really taking more risk to generate offensive chances, they cashed in on a scoring chance. Goffstown was buzzing in the offensive end of the ice. Then Nick Caldwell stepped into a shot that missed the net, wide right. The puck hit the end boards and caromed to Zack Tarrier with a defender on him. Tarrier spun and sent a nice centering pass toward Jake Klardie at the bottom of the circle. The pass was out of Klardie’s reach but the puck went right to Tyler Lessard in the slot. Lessard held the puck for a second picked a spot and fired the puck past Quist for the Goffstown goal. Now the score was, 3-2 with 6:41 left to play.
The crowd at Sullivan Arena was ready to explode. Goffstown threw everything they could at the net down the stretch. They pulled Webber from the net at 14:03 for an extra attacker, and despite coming close, they could not tie the game. Goffstown had 12 shots to SCB’s 6 shots in the final period, but the Bearcats won the game, 3-2. It was the Bearcats 10th win of the regular season and solidified their spot as the #7 seed going into the playoffs. They will play at the home rink of the #2 seed in the Quarterfinals. The #2 seed could be St. Thomas, Oyster River, or Winnacunnet.
Goffstown plays at Timberlane on Saturday night, February 25th at 7:15pm. The Grizzlies could finish as low as the #6 seed, or as high as the #4 seed. One too many. Opportunity missed to host a playoff game? A hole too deep, in this final home game? No matter which way we look at it, the Grizzlies will play in the postseason, and of course, anything can happen.
Brandon Bograd breaks in all alone after a nice feed from Jake Klardie. This goal put the Grizzlies on the board. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The Goffstown Grizzlies bench comes alive as the home team works their way back into this game. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Tyler Lessard leads the line after scoring a third period goal, to cut the deficit to, 3-2. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Sullivan Arena, Feb. 18, 2023. Goffstown recognized the following Seniors in their Senior Night Ceremony.
Avery Morgan – Team Manager
#1 Jake Webber – Goaltender
#3 Brandon Bograd – Forward
#5 Jake Klardie – Forward
#10 Jack Wilkinson – Forward
#11 Corbin Huntley – Defense
#12 Xavier Bibaud – Defense
#13 Brennan Pierce – Defense
#14 Annie St. Cyr – Forward
#31 Ethan Santoro – Goaltender
They are not done playing hockey yet. When it is all done and the final buzzer has sounded: We will miss each of them, and we truly wish them the very best moving forward. It was my honor and pleasure to be a part of the ceremony this season. Thank you.
After the weekend action in NHIAA Hockey – D2, here are the standings.
Standings: Boys Ice Hockey Division II
NOTE: The following are not official NHIAA standings. They are only the accumulation of game results as reported by the athletic directors and coaches.
You can follow other Goffstown Hockey stories, here.
You can also follow this blog here. I write a lot about hockey. It’s a long season. It’s not all just about the hockey, but rather about lessons and takeaways that come up throughout these seasons. Yes, I am biased. I am biased toward the truth and the right way to do things, whether anyone is watching or not.
The players play the games. The kids score the goals and make the saves. Most of the time, the kids band together for something that is bigger than themselves; the team. The kids do so many things right on any given play, on any given day. I have found that more often than not, the kids pleasantly surprise us all. It’s awesome. It’s all about the kids.
Goffstown lines up and shakes hands with Somersworth-Coe-Brown after the final regular season home game at Sullivan Arena for the Grizzlies. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Goffstown (9-6-2 NHIAA) (10-8-2 Overall) vs. Somersworth-Coe-Brown (10-8-0)
Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH
Wednesday, February 22, 2023. 8:04 PM Start.
Summary:
Goals:
Goffstown: 00 – 01 – 01 = 02
SCB: 01 – 02 – 00 = 03
Shots:
Goffstown: 14 – 09 – 12 = 35
SCB: 07 – 10 – 06 = 23
Scoring:
1st SCB at 13:24. PPG. Jonny Pelletier from Connor Strum.
2nd SCB at 2:45. Even. JR Norris from Dylan Burovac.
2nd SCB at 9:21. 5on3 PPG. James Sawyer from Connor Strum and Tully Keefe.
2nd Goffstown at 11:20. Even. Brandon Bograd from Jake Klardie.
3rd Goffstown at 8:19. Even. Tyler Lessard from Zack Tarrier and Nick Caldwell.
Special Teams:
Goffstown Power Play: 0 for 4.
SCB Power Play: 2 for 5.
Saves:
Goffstown: Jake Webber 20 of 23. (.870). (44:03)
SCB: Reilly Quist 33 of 35. (.943). (45:00)
(photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Remembering Jen Cheney…
The Jen Cheney Memorial Scholarship and Sportsmanship Award (awarded each season)
As a sixteen-year-old junior, Jen was a manager for the very first Goffstown Grizzlies hockey team in the 1999-2000 club season. Her infectious smile and friendly nature was a joy for everyone fortunate to know her. Jen is now our eternal team angel. The spirit of Jen lives on…our team champions an angel memorial patch sewn to each uniform jersey.
On Thursday, May 18th, 2000, Jen was killed by a drunk driver. We are dedicated to memorialize Jen’s life with the Jen Cheney Memorial Scholarship and Sportsmanship Award. But we also want to deliver a message from our team angel… simply…if you choose to drink, don’t drive.
The current look at my ‘hockey office’. So many hours spent in this space, tracking numbers and capturing season after season. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2023.The beginning of every article. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2017.
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.
“We should be dreaming. We grew up as kids having dreams, but now we’re too sophisticated as adults, as a nation. We stopped dreaming. We should always have dreams.” ~ the late Herb Brooks.
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it: If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.” ~ Jim Valvano on how to live life, during his ESPY speech.
“I started writing sports stories 20 years ago. I still do. I write because somewhere, in some game, a kid might be having the time of his or her life. That’s awesome to think about. It’s all about the kids.” ~ Steve Beal Sr.
