1/2/05
Nobles Wins Cushing Tournament
Ashburnham, Mass. -- Noble and Greenough, behind a pair of goals from junior Ryan Maguire and a 31-save shutout by sophomore John Muse, edged host Cushing, 2-0,in the title game of the Edward G. Watkins Invitational Tournament here this afternoon
After a scoreless first period, Maguire put Nobles up 1-0 with 24 seconds left in the second period. Maguire, in his second year at Nobles after coming over from Arlington High, took a pass from linemate Matt Nelson and, from the left faceoff circle, snapped a shot into the far top corner, past the glove of Cushing junior goaltender Richard Bachman.
With 27 seconds left in the third period, Maguire would score an empty-netter to account for the 2-0 margin of victory.
Maguire’s goals were his fifth and sixth of the tournament. After the game he would be named the tournament MVP.
This was a good prep game -- fairly even territorially, and played hard and clean. Cushing, with the loss of Chris Bourque, Billy Ryan, Boomer Ewing, et al doesn’t have the firepower of recent years. Muse played an excellent game – he stopped everything that came his way – but he didn’t have to stand on his head. Second opportunities were kept to a minimum.
“We capitalized on our one chance,” Nobles coach Brian Day saidafterward, “and we had good goaltending.”
“This was a really good prep hockey game, and winning the tournament is a great accomplishment for our program.”
Day singled out the work of Muse and Maguire, whose two senior linemates, Drew DeLorey and Matt Nelson, a Yale recruit, also had strong games. “We always talk about executing the little things,” Day said. “There was a total commitment to that today.”
Berkshire won the third place game when senior Jonny Micka scored a rebound goal 43 seconds into overtime to top Canterbury 4-3.
Ths one had a wild finish, as Berkshire actually looked as if they had it won when they went ahead 3-2 when junior Spencer Noyes scored off a faceoff play with 43 seconds remaining in regulation.
However, with less than two seconds on the clock Canterbury junior RW Sebastian Kimmel scored to tie up the game and send it into OT.
Berkshire was without head coach Alex Moody throughout the tournament. On New Year’s Eve, Moody became the father to a 9 lb, 9 oz. Baby girl, Maris Lane Moody.
Tournament MVP:
Ryan Maguire, Nobles
All-Tournament Team:
John Muse, G, Nobles
Drew DeLorey, F, Nobles
Matt Nelson, F, Nobles
Tom Bardis, F, Cushing
Keith Yandle, D, Cushing
Kyle Koziara, D, Cushing
Pat Cullity, D, Berkshire
Jason Zuck, G, Canterbury
Matt Germain, F, NMH
Sean Driscoll, F, Pomfret
Paul Jerusik, F, Lawrence
David deKastrozza, F, Culver
7th Place Game:
Lawrence 4, Culver 1
LA: Massar, Jerusik, Nolin, Schneider.
C: Stephan.
Penalties: LA 6 minors, Culver 4 minors
5th Place Game
NMH 3, Pomfret 2
NMH: Rosata (2), Germain.
P: Kemmerer, Welch.
Penalties: Pomfret 8, NMH 8
SOG: NMH 43, Pomfret 28
Goaltenders: Schoen (NMH); Wenning (P).
3rd Place Game:
Berkshire 4, Canterbury 3 (OT)
B: Ashley, Flanagan, Noyes, Micka.
C: Kupperman, Ciardullo, Kimmel.
Penalties: Canterbury 9, Berkshire 6
Goaltenders: Crowson (B); Zuck (C).
Championship Game:
Nobles 2, Cushing 0
N&G: Maguire (2)
C: No Scoring
Penalties: Cushing 4, Nobles 3
SOG: Cushing 31, Nobles 30
Goatenders: Muse (N&G); Bachman (C).
