February 15, 2023 – Tough Road Win. The Grizzlies arrived in the land of marching bands and senior celebrations at a crowded house down at Skate 3. They played a gritty, come from behind game against a good team, and came away with a tough road win, 4-3.
Maybe Goffstown hockey should roll out the GHS band for their Senior Recognition Night on Saturday, February 18th. Because walking through the crowds and into Skate 3 on Wednesday night was actually almost overwhelming in a fun kind of way. The place was packed. There was heightened energy oozing from every direction throughout the rink. It was Alvirne-Milford hockey Senior Night. They had won 5 of their last 6 games, including the OT win against St. Thomas that everyone has been talking about. Senior Night or not, this is a tough team to play.
What ended up unfolding, was what I heard more than a few people refer to as a, “nail-biter”. It was fast. It was physical. There was trash talking and gesturing, on and off the ice. It was loud. It was a good hockey game. The final score ended up being, 4-3. But honestly, with the scoring chances that both teams created, I think each team could have scored 8 or 9 goals. There were 77 shots on goal and about half a million shots that were deflected, blocked, or just missed. I mean there were shots and chances materializing out of nowhere it seemed.
In my opinion there could have been a few more penalties called on both sides, just to stem the physicality a bit. There were enough hits in this game to make a double CD greatest hits album. Hey, it’s mid-February in the NHIAA Hockey season, and freshmen are not rookies anymore. If you were a player in this game and not fully matured as a hockey player, you are now.
After the win on Wednesday night the Goffstown Grizzlies sit in 6th place, while the Alvirne-Milford Admirals sit in 7th place just a fraction of a point ahead of Somersworth-Coe Brown. Only 7 teams make it to the D-II Tourney. Interestingly, the Admirals and the Grizzlies both have remaining games against Somersworth-Coe Brown and Merrimack (4th place) in the regular season. Something tells me that the order of the 4th through 8th place teams might change by February 25th.
On March 4th the D-II NHIAA Hockey Tournament begins, the #1 seed will get a bye, while #2 hosts #7, #3 hosts #6, and #4 hosts #5. The Goffstown hockey team could make a serious jump in the standings over their final three games of the regular season. This stretch run begins on Saturday, February 18th against Merrimack. Then the Grizzlies play Somersworth-Coe Brown on Wednesday night, Feb. 22nd, these two games are at home (St. A’s). The Grizzlies wrap up the regular season on the road against Timberlane on Saturday night, Feb. 25th, at the Salem Icenter.
Both teams were fired up for this contest. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Right from the opening face-off the Alvirne-Milford hockey team tried to impose their will. They are loaded with senior talent and they don’t mind hitting you along the way. Goffstown was up to the task throughout the game. The lead changed a few times. Alvirne-Milford led the game twice, as did the Grizzlies.
The Goffstown hockey squad got on the board first. While on their only power play of the game, Goffstown scored on a beautiful deflected shot out in front of the net. Brandon Bograd won the offensive zone face-off and the puck ended up on Nick Caldwell’s stick out by the blue line, but in the center of the ice. Caldwell let a nice low shot fly through the slot. As the puck approached the crease area, Xavier Bibaud was down low, skating from Trent Scarbro’s left to right. As Bibaud moved by the front of the net he deflected Caldwell’s shot and the puck found the back of the net. Beautiful goal. 1-0, Bibaud from Caldwell and Bograd on the power play.
Caldwell’s shot on the power play goal in the first period. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The fans behind the net react as the news sweeps across the ice. Grizzlies lead, 1-0! (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
3 D. Brennan Pierce, Xavier Bibaud, and Nick Caldwell, three defensemen on the ice for the power play goal. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
At 9:35 of the first period, the Admirals tied the game, 1-1. After a dump in to the offensive zone, Hayden Ricard was allowed to skate right down the slot all alone. Sal Pace hit Ricard with a perfect pass and Ricard fired a near perfect shot up and over Ethan Santoro’s shoulder. The shot hit the far side top corner where Grandpa hides the cigars for special occasions. 1-1, Ricard from Pace, even strength.
The first period would end with the score, 1-1. Goffstown held a slim 14-13 edge in shots on goal. Honestly, the score could have been 3-3 or higher. Despite all of the physical play, there was some pure offense happening with a plethora of offensive talent on the ice.
The coaches do their best to look like they are not anxious to get the game started. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The coaches look much more comfortable with a bench full of players all fired up in front of them. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Pierce and Caldwell before the game. Probably talking about the power play goal they would be on the ice for, shortly.(Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The second period of this game featured a lot of water on the ice to start the period, but then again I am an ‘unofficial’ Zamboni Performance Official. Actually, the second period featured 4 goals, 28 shots on goal, and one called penalty.
This time, the Alvirne-Milford hockey team scored first in the period, and took a 2-1 lead. This goal was scored on a rocket of a slapshot from Cade Bouchard. I don’t know if this shot hit anything on the way to the net, but it was ripped and there was some traffic in front of Santoro. The Admirals had reversed the puck in the offensive zone and Bouchard just stepped into a shot from the left point. Matty Ryan had the assist on the goal. 2-1.
One way to make sure that a tough road win doesn’t end up as a loss, is to keep the game close, and fight back if you get behind. Well, the Grizzlies scored less than two minutes after Bouchard’s rocket.
When I watch hockey games with players on teams that I am vested in, I look for flat feet, or gliding, or basically skaters not pumping their legs, moving their feet, etc. This is an opportunity every single time. Hockey is such a fast moving game, and when player glides another player is gaining ground or closing the gap. Things happen so fast. Good or bad.
Zack Tarrier gets a good chance on this play but the shot was turned away by Trent Scarbro. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The Alvirne-Milford hockey team was on the offensive and they had the puck in the Goffstown end of the ice, creating plays. Then in a flash, it changed. Brennan Levesque took a shot from the point. Max Ouellette was in the slot and not only blocked the shot, he gathered the puck at his feet and made a pass. It wasn’t just any pass, it was a sensational pass that he flipped up and out of the zone to a streaking Zack Tarrier at center ice.
Tarrier flew across the blue line, made a couple of quick dekes and buried the shot into the net to tie the game for the Goffstown Grizzlies. Beautiful defense, and a tremendous combination of skill and awareness to combine for the tying goal. Tarrier from Ouellette, even strength, 2-2.
Zack Tarrier finishes the play with a goal after the sweet feed from Max Ouellette. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Later in the period, the Admirals struck for a power play goal of their own. Matty Ryan scored the goal on a perfect shot in the top corner through a moving screen in front of Santoro. The Skate 3 home crowd went nuts! Seriously, I am not sure how the shot didn’t hit the traffic in front. Ryan’s shot was fantastic, and it was set up by Braydon Atwood and Sal Pace. 3-2 Alvirne-Milford back in front with less than 5 minutes to play in the period.
This time it was Andrew Skora from the slot. First, Brennan Pierce fired the puck in deep from the left point. Then Jake Klardie fanned on his first pass attempt but didn’t panic and worked the puck behind the net to Brandon Bograd. Bograd looked for a play but decided to move the puck back to Klardie who was not in ‘Gretzky’s office’. As this happened, Skora flashed into the slot. Klardie hit Skora with nice pass in a very small window. Skora fired but the shot was saved. Only, there was a rebound and Andrew Skora kept moving toward the net as retrieved the rebound and fired the puck into the net.
The Goffstown Grizzlies had come back again. The score was now, 3-3, with only 1:12 left to play in the second period. Even strength goal for the Goffstown hockey team, Skora from Klardie and Bograd.
The period ended with the score, 3-3. Alvirne-Milford had 30 shots on goal and the Goffstown Grizzlies had 25 shots on goal, through two periods.
Ethan Santoro was under fire all night. Both teams piled up shots on goal in this one. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
There was no free passage by either team if they had something to say about it. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Nick DiMarzio being photographed with his head up and eyes looking for a play. The other photographer is watching while being watched. So many eyes. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The final period only had 22 total shots on goal, and a single goal scored. The teams were definitely allowed to play, as they say. More than 12 minutes of the 15 minute period had been played and the score was still tied, 3-3. Part of the reason for this of course, was the goaltending. In the opening minute of the 3rd period, Ethan Santoro robbed Braydon Atwood on a point blank chance.
Everyone on the ice, both teams, were fighting to take the lead while battling to make sure the other team didn’t score. Late in the period, the Grizzlies won an offensive zone face-off but the Admirals worked the puck out to center ice. Nick DiMarzio broke up the play at the red line, and the puck skipped to Zack Tarrier. In an instant, Tarrier and Brandon Bograd were working a 2-on-1. Bograd’s shot was disrupted and he swiped at the puck at the exact moment that another Admiral defender was hustling back. This cause the puck to change direction as Scarbro had already started sliding in the direction of Bograd’s first attempt.
The puck slid toward the net and crossed the goal line into the net as everyone watched helplessly. It was a good goal for the Goffstown Grizzlies. The clock showed only 2:44 left to play in regulation. It was an even strength goal for Goffstown, Bograd from Tarrier and DiMarzio. 4-3, Goffstown led en route to their tough road win.
Tarrier makes the pass over to Bograd which led to the game-winning goal. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
The teams would use their timeouts and the Admirals were able to pull Scarbro from the net in the final minute for an extra attacker. Goffstown held on by the slimmest of margins, for a hard fought, well earned, 4-3 victory against a very good team.
The Alvirne-Milford hockey team travels to play Somersworth-Coe Brown on Saturday, while the Grizzlies play host to Merrimack on Saturday evening.
Ups and downs. It is beautiful and somehow almost tragic at times. Leaving it all on the ice is honorable. Period. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Like I said earlier, if you wanted success in this game, you had to earn every inch of it. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
Andrew Skora lines up for a face-off. He would tie the game late in the second period for the Grizzlies. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
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.
The Goffstown bench celebrates as the Grizzlies earn a tough road win against the Admirals. (Photo by Jen Webber Photography)
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.
