Warren No Defeats: Like A River’s Will
In the book, War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy reasoned that history is not shaped by great men, but rather, by the collective actions of countless individuals. Like a river’s current carving its own path, with its inexorable force, the sum of countless drops of water acting individually but in concert at the same time, creating a larger, unified, decisive movement.
In the season, Warren No Defeats, I would argue that there were unquestionably great plays, tremendous individual efforts, awesome goaltending scenes, and coaching moves that paid dividends in mere seconds. But like the Connecticut River which starts at the New Hampshire-Canadian (Quebec) border from a small mountain pool surrounded by a bog system. The outlet can be stepped across in one stride. Then for the next 400 miles it collects countless drops of water on the way to Long Island Sound.
By comparison, the 16U Flames (Warren) hit the ice with a few practices as school began. Fall sports were in full swing. Injuries and other school/sports commitments limited roster attendance at some games. But every week that passed was like watching the stream grow into a torrent. And one way to fully understand the concept of torrent is how a torrent interacts with adversity.
This was no different for the 16U Flames. Since Coach Warren began coaching this team, this team has always been referred to as the #2 team (among the kids born in 2010 in the Flames Organization), more of a development team. Mostly because they were not the #1 team, known as the 1 team. The verbiage to sell this team this season was articulated as just another 16U team in the Flames organization. No 1’s and 2’s this season. But that didn’t remove an ounce of the fight in the carryover perennial underdogs who relished the challenge of being, ‘not the 1 team’.
Five players did not return from the 2024-2025 Flames (Warren) team (29.4% of the roster left). Seven new players were added to the roster, and the roster number jumped from 17 to 19 players. I don’t know what those outgoing families were sold, told, or decided on their own, but tryouts were done, and the roster was set, new kids and all.
Two things were abundantly clear to me after the first three weeks of the season.
- The 16U Flames (Warren) dressed more players per game than any other team in the league. I believed from the very first game of the season that this depth would be a huge asset all season.
- This team came to play. Not every single game started with the team on fire, but they either caught fire or started on fire in almost every game of the season. This can be tough at this age with all the distractions and demands on the kids and their families. This was a tribute to the coaches and the entire roster.
The Flames swept the month of September with a 4-0-0 record. They scored 31 goals and allowed only 8 goals, that’s an average of 7.75 to 2.00 score each game. There were some parental grumbles and tailgating rants about playing Tier III hockey with this team. Understandably, I suppose. But when a few people asked what I thought, I shared my observations and thoughts. I thought that things would increasingly tighten up as the season played on.
October was a busier month for the Flames, as they played 10 games and posted a record of 9-0-1. Goaltenders Travis Ingalls and Riley Fitzgerald split time in the net and posted a combined 4 shutouts in the month. They combined on a 92.34% save percentage in October.
All seventeen skaters scored at least one goal in the month of October. And nine players averaged at least one point per game during the month. Connor Daniels, Teddy Beal, Gavin Petrie, Tyler Mooney, Mike Hammond, Jacob St. Pierre, Deen Destani, Andy Soucy, and Garrett Warren all hit that mark.
As October went along the quality of play throughout the league went higher and higher from week to week. Then the final month of the split season hit.
In November, the 16U Flames (Warren) rounded out the regular season with a 5-0-1 record, but this was no gimme. The largest spread in a win was four goals. They tied one game and won by a single goal in two others. It was almost playoff time, and the league had closed the competition gap from bottom to top.
Over the final 6 games of the regular season, the D corps of Luke Pinkos, Joey Santitto, Noah Paris, Garrett Warren, and Caleb Powers combined for 2 goals and 7 assists, while being physical enough to post 20 minutes in penalties. The team only allowed 10 goals in the six games.
Chase Giampa, Jackson Ouellette, Connor Battistelli, and Jagger Querci combined for 5 goals and 3 assists, including a pair of game-winning goals to round out the regular season.
The team finished as the #1 seed, with a record of 18-0-2. They outscored their opponents, 121-34. Hanover finished as the #2 seed with a mark of 13-3-2, outscoring their opponents, 106-34.
Going into the playoffs, the seeds were as follows.
The Granite State League Playoff format divides the six teams into two pools of three teams each. One Pool contained the #1, #3, and #6 teams; while the other Pool had teams #2, #4, and #5. The top two teams from Pool play advanced to the Semi-Finals.
Playoffs
The 16U Flames (Warren) posted shutouts in the two Pool play games. They beat #6 Oyster River, 5-0. Fitzgerald made 10 saves, while Petrie, Destani, and Powers each had two points in the game. 10 skaters registered points in the win. Then they beat #3 Plymouth, 5-0 in the second game. Ingalls saved all 15 shots he faced in the shutout. Hammond had 2 goals and 1 assist, and Soucy scored a pair of goals as well.
They advanced to the SF, and beat #4 (the third highest scoring team in the league) NH East, 7-2 in a very spirited game. Fitzgerald made 16 saves on 18 shots to secure victory. Soucy had a game straight out of a fairy tale, scoring 4 goals including one goal just 7 seconds after NH East scored, and another goal (or nail in the coffin) with 13.3 seconds left in the second period on a magnificent tip at the side of the net.
Daniels also contributed 3 assists in the win. Powers added a power play goal and an assist.
Championship Game
In the other Pool, Hanover had swept their two games by a combined score of 17-6. They dispatched #3 Plymouth, 5-1 setting a final game against the #1 Manchester Flames. It was #1 versus #2. Spoiler alert: This was the best game of the entire season.
In the Championship Game Hanover turned a pair of defensive zone turnovers into a 2-0 lead in just 3 minutes and 38 seconds of play in the opening period. The Flames were down two goals for the first time all season. Andy Zhang scored from Declan Donegan to get on the board first, then 1:14 later, Donegan scored from Zhang, for a 2-0 lead. After one period, the shots were even at 12 apiece, but Hanover led, 2-0.
Travis Ingalls made 11 saves in the middle period and the Flames scored the only goal of the 2nd period. Tyler Mooney sent a pass to Caleb Powers back at the right point, and Powers got a low shot through traffic. The shot was saved by Jacoby Condon’s right pad, but Andy Soucy was on the spot to put the rebound into the net. Hanover led, 2-1 with 11:22 left in the second period. For Condon, he was brilliant on the night, making 20 saves on 21 shots before giving way to the other half of their tandem, Bryce Morancy.
To be honest, this game was full of brilliance. Both teams, both rosters, every player brought their best and the game was elevated because of it. As a Title Game should be. After two periods, the Flames trailed, 2-1 on the scoreboard, while holding a 26-23 advantage in shots on goal.
Just 36 seconds into the third period, the Flames fell behind by a pair of goals again. The Flames failed to clear the puck off of a pass from Andy Zhang and they paid for it immediately. Declan Roylance gathered the loose puck and fired a shot through traffic from the top of the circle. The shot was true and found the net inside the far post. With 14:24 left to play in regulation, the undefeated Flames were down, 3-1.
These teams didn’t get to the Final without adversity and fighting through it all season. A little more than three minutes later, Gavin Petrie and Jagger Querci were on the forecheck and forced a turnover. Petrie won the puck battle and pushed a pass toward the slot. Querci fired but Morancy made a great save. The puck rebounded to the slot where Mike Hammond had just skated into the space. Hammond let a hard shot go, and found the back of the net for the goal. Hammond from Querci and Petrie. Hanover’s lead was one goal, 3-2.
The Flames had a power play chance 30 seconds later but could not score as they took a penalty themselves 33 seconds into the man-advantage. With a major penalty called, Hanover now had a lengthy power play chance. Ingalls and the Flames defense held the fort. With 3:33 left, Ingalls made a brilliant save in close to hold the deficit at a single goal.
Petrie won a defensive zone faceoff and sent a pass to open space out toward the blue line. Teddy Beal grabbed the puck and carried it up the left wing. Somehow he was able to turn the corner around the defenseman and make a strong cut to the net. He fired a shot labeled for the tie, but Morancy made the save. The rebound was free for a second, just long enough for Querci to fire the puck into the net. The Flames had tied the game, 3-3, with 3:13 left to play. Querci from Beal and Petrie.
Hanover held the edge in shots during the third period, 11-7, but the Flames scored twice in the final 11:06 and sent the game to overtime. After three periods, the score was 3-3, and shots were 34-33 for Hanover. The Flames took more penalties than any other team in the league, although they didn’t lead the league in penalty minutes (majors and misconducts add up fast). In the Final they had taken four penalties, to Hanover’s one penalty.
Hanover had just 10 skaters and 2 goaltenders. Manchester had 17 skaters and 2 goaltenders. As overtime loomed, I wondered if the length of each bench would factor into extra time. I had no idea what was coming.
Overtime
In the playoffs, overtime periods were five minutes each. If there was more than one overtime, the ice would be cut after the first overtime, with a proper intermission.
The overtime was played tight and well. Both teams really shut down their respective defensive zones. After five minutes, each team managed only a single shot on goal and no goals. The Flames were called for a penalty with 15.9 seconds left in the OT.
In the second OT, the Flames killed their penalty and got a power play chance themselves, but Morancy saved all three shots he faced. The Flames led in shots, 3-1.
The third overtime really started to show the depth of the Flames taking a toll on Hanover. Midway through the second overtime, and thereafter, the Flames finally started rolling their lines more equally, and the dividends were noticeable. The third OT, had the Flames with a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal. Still, the score remained locked at 3-3.
The fourth overtime arrived, and the players were tired. Parents were tired. Everyone was tired. The goalies may have been tired but they were fantastic all along. The fourth overtime would be the final overtime of the night.
With 2:44 left to play in the fourth extra period, the depth, the bench, the team with the fresher legs overcame the ultimate warrior personification by both teams and barely pushed the puck over the goalline. It was that epic. There wasn’t a tank anywhere near the ice surface that wasn’t completely empty.
I felt for the kids on the Hanover team, many of whom looked like mere shells of themselves from two hours earlier. And Morancy, he made saves that were oftentimes more spiritual than physical. Finally, the struggle was over.
Gavin Petrie and Jacob St. Pierre were on the forecheck after Luke Pinkos had swatted the puck in deep, for the Flames. St. Pierre took the puck away and went to the net. He shot but Morancy made the save. He got his own rebound shot again with some help from Connor Daniels. The puck had somehow passed under Morancy was free and visibly short of the goal line. He was prone on the ice like a flattened long snapper in football.
The puck was there in plain sight when Petrie tapped it over the line. The ref behind the net had started waving off the goal, as in, ‘The puck is right there. I can see it there, free, not covered, but not over the line.’ Then Petrie’s blade pushed the puck into the net, and the ref’s emphatic signal of ‘good goal’ ensued.
The marathon was finished. One team scored one more goal than the other in the seven periods, but it’s hard to say anyone lost. Each team had played earlier in the day, and then in the Final they played almost a game and a half. What a great game!
I have to say that Hanover was my favorite opponent for the Flames all season. Their kids are well coached. They carry themselves well, and their best player seems like a super nice kid with a good head on his shoulders. His demeanor in the penalty box throughout the season should be a model for all penalized players. Those are the kids and teams you want to have such a battle with.
This game was the best game of the season. It was played by the two best teams in the league. The game was pushed beyond the bounds of a good game, even a great game, to an all-time epic game by the collective will of the players. Neither team’s best player had a point in the game. It doesn’t mean they weren’t great in the game, they just didn’t get on the scoresheet. Like, War and Peace, the collective, or the collection (if you will) won the day. And it ended; Warren No Defeats: Like A River’s Will.
16U Flames (Warren) 2025 Split Season Roster
| First Name | Last Name | Number | |
| Connor | Daniels | 5 | |
| Teddy | Beal | 6 | |
| Gavin | Petrie | 7 | |
| Tyler | Mooney | 12 | |
| Luke | Pinkos | 13 | |
| Mike | Hammond | 19 | |
| Jacob | St. Pierre | 20 | |
| Chase | Giampa | 22 | |
| Joey | Santitto | 27 | |
| Travis | Ingalls | 31 | |
| Riley | Fitzgerald | 33 | |
| Deen | Destani | 36 | |
| Noah | Paris | 44 | |
| Jackson | Ouellette | 59 | |
| Andy | Soucy | 63 | |
| Connor | Battistelli | 83 | |
| Garrett | Warren | 86 | |
| Caleb | Powers | 87 | |
| Jagger | Querci | 98 |
