Frederick Gunn and Pomfret squared off in a neutral site game at Trinity College in Hartford, CT for a matchup with major playoff implications, not only for the two teams playing but several others.
Frederick Gunn got out to an early lead with just under 4 minutes into the first period when Peter Unger scored on a one-touch in the slot on the power play off a slick pass from the point by Kyle Smith.
Less than a minute later Pomfret tied it up on a line rush where Nils Forselius came down the left side on a zone entry and accelerated around thee defender and cut across the goal mouth and lifted it over the goalies pad for the score. It was an impressive individual effort and showed Pomfret wasn’t going to back down.
The game stayed tied for the remainder of the first period and while both teams had chances it was even between the teams.
In the second the ice began to tilt a bit as Frederick Gunn senior Julian Facchinelli out of Woodbridge, ON scored a nifty wrap around goal to break the tie with 10:07 remaining. A few minutes later they’d score again, this time from junior forward Michael Pizzo who stole the puck clean off a Pomfret player and went in alone on a breakaway where he deked the goalie left to right and flipped a slick blackhand over the goalies pad to take the 3-1 lead. Pomfret didn’t give up and kept applying pressure for the remainder of the period with a few quality scoring chances but wasn’t able to cut the lead.
Frederick Gunn didn’t let off the gas with the two goal lead in the third period and were next to strike with a brilliant snap shot in the slot from savvy defenseman Sal Cerrato. Pomfret again showed resilliance and answered the call with just over a minute later when Tate Fitzmaurice, Pomfret senior forward, stuffed a loose puck home in front of the net to make it a two goal game with just under 6 minutes remaining.
However, it was Frederick Gunn’s night and they scored the next two to seal the game and really controlled possession most of the period. The fifrth goal was a nice rebounder in front off a point shot where Unger again showed a strong stick and elevated it over the goalie who was down for his second of the night. The final goal may have been the most impressive when Cael Dolph broke up a play at the point on the penalty kill, split the defenders and took the puck in on a breakaway where he snipped it just under the bar at full speed to seal the game at 6-2.
While the score looks lopsided it wasn’t until the backend of the third period that the game really took that feel, for the majority of the action it was an up and down, back and forth game, physical and fast.
Three Stars of the Game:
1st Star: Peter Unger, F, Gunnery
2nd Star: Ryan Novo, F, Gunnery
3rd Star: Nils Forselius, F, Pomfret