KUA 6 – New Hampton 3
The day started out in Meredith, NH where KUA took on a hungry New Hampton squad that just beat Cushing the day before 5-2. Kimball Union however wasn’t going to let them carry that momentum over as they quickly go out to a lead scoring a loose puck in front fo the net at the 14:16 mark. It was tough to see who actually scored it and the refs huddled up for a minute or so before they eventually called it a goal. New Hampton was not too pleased with that announcement.
KUA extended the lead three minutes later when Revy Mack caught a stretch pass at the far blueline from Kareem Alazem and went in alone on the goalie worked him right to left and slide it by him just inside the nearside post. It was a great play all around and at that point KUA looked to be in firm control. However, with just 1:58 remaining in the period, New Hampton jumped on a loose puck in the neutral zone and Matt Sullivan took it in then sauced it across the slot over the defenders stick and right on the blade of Alex Lobdell who went in to score on a nifty deke to cut the lead to one.
The Wildcats came out hard in the second period trying to extend their lead but the Huskies did a nice job limiting their chances to lower percentage areas. However, at the 12:29 KUA’s Alex Keller flew in on the forecheck and caused a turnover which the puck squirted to the corner where Revy Mack collected it and immediate fed the slot for Tyler Wishart who buried it 5-hole to go up 3-1.
They wouldn’t stop here as KUA kept on the pressure and generated several high quality scoring chance but couldn’t finish. They were able to break free at the 4:41 mark when Wishart found the back of the net again, this time of a brilliant cross crease pass on the rush from Griffen Hatley.
Things got interesting at the end of the period when KUA came down on a rush and looked to have scored to put the game out of reach, but right before the puck went in the ref had blown his whistle for a penalty that happened behind the play. New Hampton then gets a power play with 30 seconds remaining and an offensive zone faceoff. Trevor Castino won the faceoff back to David Helledy who quickly fired a high wrister that was gloved. They did the same thing the next draw Castino won it right back to Helledy but this time he looked to make a pass, saw nothing was open so he threw a low, accurate wrister that beat the goalie through a screen to cut the lead to 2 with 20 seconds reamining in the period.
The two goal swing in a matter of 10 seconds gave us the feeling this game might get interesting in the third period but the Wildcats were simply too much for the Huskies to handle. Keep in mind Huskies had played a hard faught game the day before where KUA didn’t and the depth of this KUA roster would give just about anyone fits.
KUA went on to score two more goal in the first half of the third period to put the game out of reach and seal their run to the Lakes Region Championships; a tournament they have dominated since its founding. The goals for KUA were from Kareem Alazem who caught a pass from Duncan Ramsey on a power play and riffled a low wrister through traffic for a goal and minutes later AJ Noel on a rush where he pulled the puck in to change the angle and ripped it by the New Hampton netminder.
The game would finish 6-2 and while KUA got the victory and will head to the finals, credit to New Hampton for not quitting and scoring a late goal with 1:29 on a nifty catch and shoot from Scott Lagos. KUA will face the winner of Holderness vs. Tilton, which will be played tonight at 6:30pm, and the finals will be at KUA on Saturday.
Three Stars of the Game:
1st Star: Tyler Wishart, F, Kimball Union
2nd Star: Kareem Alazem, D, Kimball Union
3rd Star: Duncan Ramsey, D, Kimball Union
Holderness 4 – Tilton 3
Given the KUA vs. New Hampton game we missed the first period but Tilton went up early 2-0. We tuned in just as the second period was underway and Tilton looked to have a few quality scoring chances early to put the game out of reach but Holderness battled back.
With 11:02 remaining Holderness finally got on the scoresheet when speedster Sean Senier carried through the neutral zone with great burst and fed a pass across the offensive blue line to Quinn McCarthy who came down the slot and ripped it by the Tilton goalie to cut the lead to one.
Both teams exchanged blows and had chances but the goalies stood tall and defenders limited second chance oppertunities. It was until 3:44 that Holderness centerman Aiden O’Connell won an offensive zone draw back to Thomas Duane who then dropped it back to Jared Shimelman who blasted a low wrister through traffic that the goalie didn’t see and it went off the post and in to tie the game.
Tilton regrouped and came back strong taking the action to Holderness in the final minutes of the period which led to drawing to penalties and putting themselves on a 5v3. While they didn’t score during the 5v3, they got one with just 9 seconds remaining in the period on the 5v4 when Tilton’s powerplay made a terrific goal involving all 5 guys on the ice. Nick Brennan got the puck along the wall and passed it to the top of the umbrella where Matthew Hale collected it and sent it to far side faceoff dot to Noah Leithman who got the puck and threw a hard pass to the slot where Kyle LoNigro tapped it in for the go ahead goal. An excellent play and gave the Rams momentum heading into the final period.
Both teams needed a win here not just to advance to the Lakes Region Finals against KUA but Tilton needed a win to have a chance at the Small School Tournament and Holderness needed a win to keep their Elite 8 chances alive. The Bulls came out fast in the third period and really took the play to Tilton but it was until the 13:06 mark that they were able to tie the game off a rocket snap shot from Cooper Boulanger at the high circle off a nifty pass from Nick Messina in the corner. With the game tied Holderness put the pressure on and at times Tilton had a hard time getting it out of their end. However, neither team was able to take the lead until Cooper Boulanger got a puck along the wall carried it towards the faceoff dot and fed Sean Senier in the slot for the one-touch goal. It was a very similar play to Tilton’s goal to take the lead at the end of the second. That proved to be the game winner and Holderness will advance to see rival KUA in the finals on Saturday.
Three Stars of the Game:
1st Star: Cooper Boulanger, F, Holderness
2nd Star: Dave Brandes, D, Holderness
3rd Star: Sean Senier, F, Holderness
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling / Hickling Images