Weston, MA – Snowy Saturday calls for a Belmont Hill vs Rivers School matchup. Jason Thibodeau in net for Belmont Hill, and Derrick Huang for Rivers.
These two teams wasted no time, throwing the body and playing hard. Six minutes into the game a strong net drive by Luke Morin frees up a rebound in front for Stephen Rousell to backhand home upstairs for the game’s first tally. Under 5 minutes to go, Belmont gets put a man up on a 4 on 3, but cannot capitalize on the opportunity. The physicality of the game continued for the rest of the period. Belmont Hill has been cleaner with the puck, but it’s Rivers who skates off up 1-0 after 1.
Rivers would hop on the power play, and it would start a bit disorganized. The team decided to simplify their power play and crash the net from a shot from the point, and it’s Carter Felt who locates the puck in the crease and extends Rivers’ lead to 2-0. Belmont Hill put great chances on goal but just could not find a way to get on the board. Patrick Woods fires a high shot from distance, and when you hit the net, good things happen. Huang mishandles the high shot, and it trickles past to make things interesting, 2-1 Rivers after 2.
Belmont Hill takes 2 penalties nearly back-to-back, and Rivers makes them pay with yet another scramble goal out front. This time, it’s Morin who slides it to the back of the net. Belmont Hill’s turn to take the power play with a bit of a controversial penalty. Belmont Hill gets to work early on the Rivers penalty kill, and a point shot by Evan Jones gets through and opens up a rebound for Matt Carolan to bury home to make this a 3-2 game. High hit puts Belmont Hill back on the power play with 2:10 left in the game to try and even things up. They pull the goalie, and sure enough, find the equalizer with Carolan getting his second, finding space in front, and putting a quick shot in front with exactly 1 minute to go.
The game goes to OT, and with 30 seconds left, Carolan gets out of the box and gathers a great pass from Nick Ware to get on a breakaway. Puck seems to have squeaked through, but the whistle was blown, and we play on. We would end in a 3-3 tie in a fast-paced, high physicality game.
Three Stars
First: Matt Carolan (Belmont Hill)
Second: Derrick Huang (Rivers)
Third: Patrick Woods (Belmont Hill)
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images