The 2010 Manchester Flames wrapped up their 2020-2021 season with a sweep of two games against the NH Avalanche over at the Ice Den in Hooksett, NH. The teams had played each other several times over this oddity of a season, and each of the games were highly contested.
The 2010 Manchester Flames entered the GSL State Tournament as the #5 seed in the six-team field. The Flames caravan of players, coaches, and families made their way through the falling snow up to North Conway for the tournament being held at Ham Arena. Manchester had an impressive opening game before being shut down by the #4 and #1 seeds.
We know that the 2010 Flames will enter the post-season tournament as the #5 seed, finishing 7-5-2 in their tier. With league games finished, the Flames played a pair of games over the weekend to get ready for the trip to North Conway this Friday.
Yesterday the 2010 Flames traveled to Hudson to play against the Cyclones in their next to last GSL game of the season. The Flames took advantage of some odd-man rushes and some good passing to skate out of town with an 8-1 win.
Yesterday afternoon the Flames hosted the Cyclones at the West Side Arena where we, very thankfully, can still play hockey games, and actually watch them in person. As it usually is, the game was tight and intensely contested.
Well the rain finally stopped falling and this morning the wind was blowing but the sun was playing hide and seek with remaining clouds. The Flames showed up in a cold parking lot on the banks of the Merrimack River and started to run around like 10-year olds.
With the skies opened and dumping downpours of rain, there was no team warm-up outside before this morning’s game. It was an 8:20am ice time too, which can be tough to rise for on a dark, gray, weekend morning. That, and the fact that every week seems to be longer than the week prior over the last year, seemed to contribute to a sluggish start.
After a wild battle on Saturday, the Flames went to Nashua to play the NE Edge at Conway Arena. The Flames got their offensive game in gear and skated north with an 8-0 win.
With no league games on the schedule for the weekend, the Flames played host to the undefeated Granite State Wild team on Saturday at JFK.
Following a resounding loss at Lakes Region yesterday afternoon, the Flames were down in Hudson, NH by 730am this morning trying to bounce back from defeat.
The Flames went north to Laconia to open the new year, and for about fifteen minutes of hockey they looked like they might have a chance to be competitive in the game against Lakes Region. That didn’t last much longer though.
After a loss on Saturday to a very good Concord team on the road, on the morning following Christmas day, the Flames returned to home ice for a game with Lakes Region. Lakes Region is another solid team in the same division, and the Flames had all they could handle.
First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Personally, I love the season, but love the reason even more. Secondly, our hockey team and hockey family were back at the rink the day after Christmas for a game in Concord, NH.
After a spirited win against the Cyclones in one of the more intense scrimmages I have seen, the Flames had to play a tough Rochester team early the following morning.
Once upon a time, there was a year when facts and fears were so hard to separate,
And a health hazard gained so much attention, boys and girls couldn’t even ice skate.
With interstate hockey shut down due to health concerns, the New Hampshire teams have been solely playing each other for the last several weeks. Then, to help fill a potential gap in schedules for virtually every youth hockey team in NH, the 2020 Turkey Shootout tournament came along.
While many places are not allowing travel hockey between states, the 2010 Flames loaded up on New Hampshire competition over the weekend. The Flames played a pair of games on Saturday and did it again on Sunday.
The ride out to Rochester was a lot of fun as my son and I shared many laughs along the way. We generally have a pretty good time together on these rides to hockey rinks all over New England. Once we arrived at Rochester Ice Arena it was time to be herded through protocols.
Most all go along with the rules set in place by authorities either because they wrap their heads around the rule and conform as such. Or they follow because the sacrifice of following is worth the result gained to the vested individual. Either way, the hockey community were good little performers, jumping through hoops, overcoming obstacles, balancing on thin lines, and doing what was necessary to allow healthy families to participate in teamwork and exercise after they were banned for two weeks.
Maybe all games at West Side Arena should be played on such beautiful days in the autumn. Sunday afternoon was another gorgeous day to be outside, even if the players used the warm afternoon air to loosen up and get dressed for another hockey game.
Date Fri Game Time ARENA Home Team Away Team 18-Jan Fri 11:50 AM West Side Arena Flames 00 Conquistadors 01 18-Jan Fri 9:10 PM West Side Arena Keene Flames 00 19-Jan Sat 12:50 PM West…