Easthampton, MA – Cushing visited Williston-Northampton for a Wednesday evening tilt that showcased a ton of talent, culminating in a crisp, one-goal final.
In a back-and-forth first period, neither team found the back of the net as Kamden
Jackson held firm in the net for Williston, and Mason Raycroft was steady in the net for Cushing. The best scoring opportunity of the period was off the stick of Sebastian Mogull around the 16-minute mark of the first, where Mogull broke in on a partial breakaway and rang the high short side post on his backhand.
In the second frame, Williston struck first. Cam Tabb moved the puck up to
the point where Sam Chartier delivered a hard, low shot on net through traffic. Landon
Brawn picked up the loose puck just outside of the crease and slid the puck five-hole to
finish the play. Cushing consistently applied pressure throughout the remainder of the second period and the start of the third period.
Finally, at the 10:11 mark remaining in the third period with Cushing on the power play, Oliver Svoboda delivered a hard shot through traffic, where Jeffrey Swartz got a stick on it for the redirection and goal. Both teams traded quality chances as time ran down, but with 35 seconds left on the clock, Svoboda intentionally sent a dumped puck into the opposite corner, where Swartz won his race and got his first touch on the net. Waiting in front was Parker Murch, who finished the play and gave Cushing the lead.
The game would end in a 2-1 final, where Cushing showed a flair for the dramatic to pull
out the late-game, road victory. Jackson was outstanding in the net all game for Williston
despite taking the loss, while Raycroft held down the net for Cushing to secure the win.
Three Stars
First: Oliver Svoboda (Cushing)
Second: Jeffrey Swartz (Cushing)
Third: Kamden Jackson (Williston)
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images.