-Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey-

Sticks And Stones – March 02, 2025

“Sticks and Stones” is an English-language children’s rhyme.

The rhyme is used as a defense against name-calling and verbal bullying, intended to increase resiliency, avoid physical retaliation, and/or to remain calm and indifferent.

The full rhyme is usually a variant of:

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words shall never hurt me.

 

 

 

Hey, hey, you there. Excuse me, you ever heard of the highroad, does that run through here?

Ya, I think so. Ya. You know, my kid’s so good, he’s gonna do a post grad year.

That’s great. Good for him. Is he playing here tonight? I’d like to see him play.

No, he’s sitting out. He’s got Elite games this weekend, can’t do high school tonight, no way.

(Moving on)

 

I’ve heard there is a highroad, and I’m told it’s a road less traveled.

A place where the folks taking the road don’t chirp and bully, for example.

The highroad runs but one way, there’s no turning back, just off, or on.

It’s not fast or wide. No shortcuts. It’s rewarding and humbling, more like a marathon.

 

People talk of the highroad but very few take that difficult, narrow path.

The folks truly on the highroad remain calm, poised, and don’t come to wrath.

On the lower roads there are forces pulling in all directions, dragging all into the mire.

On the highroad, the people walking that walk seek to learn, to lift up, and even inspire.

 

The highroad can be accessed anywhere, including wherever you may find yourself, even at a rink.

Most don’t take it though, because it’s hard work, a sacrifice, especially to one’s ego, I do think.

So, take the highroad if it all you can, and stay on it or you might find yourself rather unclean.

If the road is fast and full, then you may be counted, in action, one of the obscene.

 

 

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Goffstown Grizzlies at Winnacunnet Warriors

The Rinks at Love Gym, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH.

NHIAA Hockey: Game twenty-one.

Sunday, March 02, 2025.

 

 

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NHIAA Hockey:

Scoring:

Goffstown Grizzlies: 02 – 04 – 01 = 07 

Winnacunnet Warriors: 00 – 01 – 01 = 02

 

Shots on goal:

Goffstown Grizzlies: 08 – 10 – 08 = 26

Winnacunnet Warriors: 07 – 16 – 09 = 32

 

Goffstown Grizzlies Penalties: 

• S. Chapman – 2:00 – Hooking.
• T. Lessard – 2:00 – Unsportsmanlike Conduct.
• S. Chapman – 2:00 – Interference.
• C. Chapman – 2:00 – Tripping.

Goffstown was 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Warriors were 0-for-4.

• Goffstown Grizzlies – Kyle Bennett (So.) made 30 saves on 32 shots (.938).
• Winnacunnet Warriors – Michael Caponigro made 19 saves on 26 shots (.731).

Both goaltenders were left to fend for themselves numerous times in this game. I don’t think either team wants to take Sunday’s effort into the playoffs.

The Grizzlies hockey team led 5-0 after 25 minutes of play. But the game was much closer than that. Goffstown allowed way too many wide open looks and heavy shots from the Warriors for my liking. It seemed like some of the team had some other agenda running during this game. Like a sniff of success in the form of a win streak was an ego multiplier. I don’t know. There was an odd vibe in the rink on Sunday afternoon. Not one I like.

1. 1. 1st 1:10 – The Warriors trip into the O zone was broken up and taken away by Jackson Horne. Horne made a quick pass ahead to Tyler Lessard, trapping two Warrior forecheckers behind the play. Lessard faced up ice at his own blue line with two more Winnacunnet players looking to stop him. He made a lightning fast short pass to his right. The pass was perfect for Zack Tarrier who was already a blur, cruising through center ice. Just like that, Tarrier and Dylan Ellbeg were on a 2-on-1 break. Tarrier stepped inside the defender and made one final move against Michael Caponigro in net. Then he fired a shot into the top corner of the goal from point blank range. Nice play from start to finish. Even – Tarrier (8) from T. Lessard (19) and Horne (6). 1-0.
   2. 1st 3:39 – Winnacunnet got a decent shot on net but Kyle Bennett had dropped the pads and the puck caromed off of his right pad out into the slot. Fortunately for the Grizzlies Cooper Chapman was circling low while performing his duties as a 200-foot center. He scooped up the rebound and turned up ice. At center ice he pushed the puck ahead to his brother Sam Chapman. Sam got around the D and went to the net. As he moved from right to left he held the puck long enough for Caponigro to commit to the nearside post then tucked the puck inside the far side post for the goal. Even – S. Chapman (23) from C. Chapman (24). 2-0.
   3. 2nd 0:26 – At center ice the puck was loose and before it turned into a Winnacunnet possession, Brock Bennett chipped the puck forward. Owen St. Onge took the puck at the offensive blue line. He made a nimble move to the inside while avoiding a hit and keeping the puck. He passed to Sam Chapman on his left as they approached the net. Sam passed it right back to St. Onge, and Sam’s body language screamed, “You take it Owen! I want you to score”! Well, St. Onge did just that. He buried the shot for the goal. Nice unselfish play. Even – St. Onge (4) from S. Chapman (14) and B. Bennett (17). GWG. 3-0. 
   4. 2nd 8:55 – On the power play – The Grizzlies had just killed a penalty themselves, then they got a power play chance of their own. Goffstown carried the puck into the zone. Zack Tarrier sent a pass toward Tyler Lessard which ended up sending Lessard behind the net. Lessard laid a pass through the crease that hit a Warrior stick and glanced out to Brock Bennett at the right point. Without missing a beat, Bennett smoothly slid the puck over to Austin Campbell at the left point. Campbell fired a nice shot through traffic but Caponigro made a nice glove save on the shot even though he was completely screened. The puck dropped to the ice as it had hit the glove but was not caught. Tarrier was right there with a Warrior defenseman. Tarrier got a stick on the puck which eluded the defender and the goaltender. Sam Chapman was right on the doorstep to slam the puck into the open side of the net. As Chapman scored the goal Alec Mitchell was coming in heavy and high at Chapman from behind. Fortunately he tripped over a teammate’s stick and didn’t make clean contact with the back of Chapman. Tremendous puck movement, all five players touched the puck in succession. Great shot from Campbell and finish from Zack and Sam. PPG – S. Chapman (24) from Tarrier (20) and Campbell (11). 4-0.
   5. 2nd 9:49 – This one was something else. The Grizzlies won a defensive zone face-off to the end boards behind Kyle Bennett. Jackson Horne played the puck up the wall to Sam. Sam passed to the middle to Cooper but he was under pressure and the puck came right back to Sam. The inadvertent redirection trapped two Warriors just a half stride behind the puck. That was it. Sam was gone. He raced up ice, 1-on-2. The two Warrior defensemen were back and retreating, like a D tandem does. The gap wasn’t large but Sam was barreling up ice like he had been shot out of a cannon. He split the D, held the puck, got hooked, was almost spun, but maintained possession and his balance. He was right on top of Caponigro and lifted the puck onto the top shelf where Uncle Buck shows off all of his biggest bowling trophies. What a goal! Wow! Even – S. Chapman (25) from C. Chapman (25) and Horne (7). 5-0.
   6. 2nd 14:27 – The Grizzlies were up, 5-0 when the Warriors lit the lamp for their first goal. Winnacunnet dumped the puck in deep. Brock Bennett made a rare misplay on the puck while under no pressure. The puck was picked up by Brayden Emery behind the net. He surveyed the players out front and sent a pass to Alex Santora for a shot from above the hash marks. Great play. Kyle Bennett made the save and the puck dropped at his pads. Loose. Three Grizzlies were in the slot, but all were way too high. Aiden Cink was right there and made a nice move, getting a shot from a foot away. Bennett saved that one too. Cink stuffed the rebound into the pads. Save Bennett. Before help could arrive for Bennett, Cink lifted a backhand shot from below the goal line. The puck got behind Bennett and finally into the net for the goal. (Cink from Santora and Bra. Emery). With the score, 5-1 and time running out in the second period Goffstown got that goal back. The Warriors won the draw in their own end. They tried to clear the puck up the wall. Like Cato hiding for an attack on Inspector Clouseau, Owen St. Onge made himself a part of the wall, and foiled the clearing attempt. He tapped the puck through the corner to Sam Chapman behind the net. Sam fed his brother for a one-timer in the slot but it was blocked at point blank range. With Caponigro moving to save the shot that didn’t end up coming, and the blocked puck dropping right outside the crease, half the net was open. There was Cato, I mean, Owen St. Onge. Owen roofed the puck in the top of the net for his second goal of the night. Even – St. Onge (5) from C. Chapman (26) and S. Chapman (15). 6-1.
   7. 3rd 5:28 – Winnacunnet scored first in the final period, to make the score, 6-2. Goffstown had dumped the puck into the zone. DJ Sciacca played the puck up the wall, off the glass, trying to get it out. Gavin Matatall held the blue line and kept the puck in, for half a second. Since the puck was traveling at good speed and came off the glass at least waist high, the puck bounced off of Matatall at the point. Right on to the stick of Alex Santora. Santora made a quick pass to Brayden Emery who was leaving the zone and motoring through center ice. There were two Bennett’s to beat. Emery ripped a wicked wrister that Kyle Bennett saved but couldn’t control completely. Brock Bennett was back and turned his back on Emery. Before Brock could sweep the puck to safety, the long reach and speed of Emery beat both Bennetts to the puck and he slammed the rebound inside the far post. (Emery from Santora). A few minutes later the Grizzlies added the final goal of the game. The Warriors cranked the puck into the zone, off of the end boards. Dylan Ellbeg took the puck behind the net to the far corner. From there he fired a pass across the ice to Tyler Lessard on the right wing. Lessard cut to the middle once he was over the offensive blue line. He had Owen St. Onge on his left and open, looking for the hat trick. Lessard toe dragged and pulled the puck back before firing a shot inside the post for the goal. Even – T. Lessard (26) from Ellbeg (11). 7-2.

 

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

Notes from my pad during the game:

• Patience and passing.
• Grizzlie down in the corner.
• Shut up and play hockey.
• * Passing.
• * Wow!
• Taking runs at Grizzlies.
• Grizzlie down in the corner.
• Too many 80mph wristers wide open.

 

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Very early on Sunday morning, just around 1am, I took this picture of our backyard rink. We have been working diligently to remove snow, slush, and wind blown debris from the ice surface in hopes of one more skate.

 

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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.