2/4/06
Milton Ties Up #8 Exeter
Milton, Mass. -- Milton Academy, with only three Div. I wins on their record, their top D-man, Mike Matczak, out with a broken arm and their top forward, Keith Nelson, moved back to defense, toughed out a 3-3 tie against #8-ranked Exeter here today.
Milton almost pulled off the win, as they took a 3-2 lead at 7:04 of the third period when freshman forward Kyle Mountain chased down a dump-in and, with the puck sliding toward the corner, slapped it at a tough angle toward the net where it caught Exeter goaltender Jonathan Lee by surprise, tucking itself inside the post.
With 1:47 in regulation, Exeter head coach Dana Barbin called a time out. With the faceoff in the Milton end, he pulled Lee for the extra attacker. It worked like a charm as the puck came back to Princeton recruit Kevin Crane at the right point. Crane saw Michael Doherty down low, to the side of the crease. Doherty, when the puck wound up on his stick, wasted no time with it, tucking it behind Milton junior goalie Bryan Mountain, who had a strong game for the Mustangs today.
A frenetic overtime period ensued. Neither team was playing for the tie. In the five minute extra session, 11 shots were taken on net, seven by Milton and four by Exeter. With ten seconds left Exeter defenseman Kevin McCarthy, a Dartmouth recruit with as hard a shot as we’ve seen in prep hockey this year, had the puck alone in the slot and teed it up. For a second, it looked like Exeter's game right there, but the shot went wide left, and the teams settled for a tie.
”This was our sixth overtime game this season,” said Milton coach Paul Cannata afterward. “Plus it was out twelfth game in which the difference was one goal or less. So the kids are competing. They played hard. They’re scratching and clawing.”
Five of the six goals in the game came on the power play – two of Exeter’s, and all of Milton’s, including a 5-on-3.
"I'm always after our guys to stay out of the penalty box," Exeter head coach Dana Barbin said."I give Milton credit. They played a fine game. But when you look at the two teams and the relative postion they're in, we should have gotten a W today."
Earlier, Milton broke out to a 1-0 lead with 1:23 left in the first period. Skating with a 5-on-3 advantage, sophomore Geoff Mucha, from the goal line, passed it out front to Brandon Nunn who knocked it home for a 1-0 lead. Exeter, while outshot in the period, had a strong territorial edge but didn't do much with it.
McCarthy tied it up for Exeter with a power play blast from the right point 22 seconds into the second period.
However, a little over five minutes later, Milton went up 2-1 when Mucha, on the power play, came down the right side and from out by the blue line put a low shot on net that beat Milton starter Teddy Hume, who was immediately pulled and replaced by Lee, who manned the Exeter net for the rest of the day.
Exeter tied it up at 7:09, again on the power play, when Michael Doherty, from the goal line, found Nick Downer out by the faceoff circle. Downer fired it home to tie the game at 2-2.
The second period belonged to Exeter, as they outshot Milton, 12-5.
That set up the third, and the overtime. All in all, an entertaining game, with each Milton goal being answered by Exeter, and plenty of up-and-down play leading up to a wild OT.
Other Games:
-- At Pottstown, Pa., Lawrenceville blanked host Hill, 4-0. Christopher Zaires led the L'ville attack with two goals. Thomas Scocozza and Robert Doyle added single goals. Junior Cody McKinney kicked out 21 shots to earn the shutout.
-- At Cambridge, Mass., BB&N sophomore goaltender Joe Cannata stopped 40 of 42 shots to lead his team to a 2-2 tie with Andover. BB&N got goals from Dave Casey and Wil Hartigan while Andover countered with goals from Chris Cahill and Joe Smith. Andover outshot BB&N, 42-20.
-- At Meriden, NH, Holderness topped KUA, 5-1. Lukas Andersen David (1g,2a) and Aki Uola (1g,1a) led the way offensively for Holderness. Colin Edge stopped 27 of 28 shots for the win.
-- At Saxton's River, Vt., Vermont Academy topped Hoosac 4-2 behind two-point efforts from Austin DeLonge (1g,1a) and Brian Gibbons (2a). Kyle Hardy (1g,1a) had two points for Hoosac.
-- At Marion, Mass., host Tabor topped NMH, 4-1. Jamie Jelinek (1g,1a) and Chris Bower (2a) led the Seawolves attack. Ryan Carroll kicked out 20 shots for the win.
-- At South Hamilton, Mass., Drew Tunney, Justin Letizia, and John Harvey scored the goals and Charlie Kirchen made 19 save to lead Brunswick to a 3-1 win over Pingree.
-- At Winchendon, Mass., Nick Quagliani scored a hat trick in Winchendon's 7-2 home win over Albany Academy.
-- At Middletown, RI, Jeff Ryan (2g,1a) led the way as St. George's topped Roxbury Latin, 5-3.
-- At Worcester, Mass., Brandon Goodnow (1g,2a), J.T. Leary (2g), and Bobby Barrett (1g,1a) put up the points and sophomore Nick Blanchette kicked out 28 of 29 to lead Worcester Academy to a 4-1 win over Portsmouth Abbey.
-- At Groton, Mass., Zach Miller (2g,1a) and David Orlowitz (1g,2a) were the offensive leaders and Greg Parker came up with a 36-save shutout to lead Groton to a 4-0 win over St. Mark's.
-- At Andover, NH, Matt Robertson (2g,2a), Neil Ruffini (2g,2a), Ian Flanagan (2a), and Tyler Violette (2a) lead Proctor Academy to a 5-1 win over Rivers.
2/28/06 Update
The schedule for tomorrow has been updated below, along with the times and brackets for this weekend.
2/27/06
Calling All Blackberries, Treos, Razors – and Plain Old Cell Phones
For this year’s quarterfinals, we’re going to do what we did last season, and post updates at the end of every period of every game, both Div. I and Div. II, both boys and girls.
We’re looking for volunteers to phone in scores at the end of each period and, if possible, include goal scorers, shots on goal, etc. This worked really well last year and, in pretty close to real time, we were able to bring updates to people across the country and around the world.
If you’re willing to help out, please email cwarner@ushr.com and let us know which game you will be attending.
With your help, we can pull this project off again. It should be fun.
2/26/06 Updated
Wednesday's Quarterfinal Matchups
Div. I
#1 Berkshire vs. #8 Westminster -- 3:00 at Berkshire
#2 Pomfret vs. #7 Loomis -- 3:15 at Pomfret
#3 Nobles vs. #6 Andover -- 3:30 at Nobles
#4 Lawrence vs. #5 Choate -- 6:00 at Lawrence
Div. II
#1 Brewster vs. #8 Brooks -- 4:00 at Brewster
#2 Greenwich vs. #7 Kents Hill -- 3:30 at Dexter
#3 Rivers vs. #6 St. George's -- 4:00 at Rivers
#4 Hebron vs. #5 Kingswood -- 4:15 at Exeter
Sat. March 4 -- Semifinals
at Southfield School; Brookline, Mass.
Div. II
10:00 am -- 1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner
12:00 pm -- 3/6 winner vs. 2/7 winner
Div. I
2:00 pm -- 1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner
4:00 pm -- 3/6 winner vs. 2/7 winner
Sun. March 5 -- Finals
at Southfield School; Brookline, Mass.
10:30 am -- Div. II Championship Game
12:30 pm - Div. I Title Game
The Regular Season Winds Down
A week from now, the regular season will be over and we'll know the playoff pairings. Going into the final week, it looks like there are nine teams with a strong chance to make the playoffs in Div. I. They are, in alphabetical order, Andover, Berkshire, Choate, Hotchkiss, Lawrence, Loomis, Nobles, Pomfret, and Taft. Likely to fall a little short are Westminster and Cushing. In Div. II, the eight look to be Brewster, Brooks, GDA, Greenwich Academy, Groton, Gunnery, Hebron, and Kents Hill. Having good years in Div. II, but probably not good enough to make the postseason are Kingswood-Oxford, Middlesex, Proctor, and Rivers. The latter progam is in its second year.
The final week of the regular season looks like this:
Mon. Feb. 20, 2006:
N.E. Falcons @ Pomfret, 8:00
Tue. Feb. 21, 2006:
Kingswood-Oxford @ Taft, 4:30
Vermont Academy @ KUA, 4:30
Wed. Feb. 22, 2006:
Berkshire @ Taft, 2:30
Deerfield @ Williston-Northampton, 2:30
Brooks @ St. Mark's, 3:00
New Hampton @ KUA, 3:00
Middlesex @ BB&N, 3:15
Tabor @ Cushing, 3:15
Exeter @ Hebron, 3:30
Choate @ Hotchkiss, 3:30
Thayer @ Groton, 3:30
Millbrook @ Rye CD, 3:30
NMH @ Loomis-Chaffee, 4:00
St. Paul’s vs. St. George’s, 4:00 (at Groton School)
Berwick @ Pingree, 4:00
Greenwich @ Westminster, 4:30
Andover @ Holderness, 4:30
Milton @ Pomfret, 4:30
Kent's Hill @ Proctor, 4:30
Rivers @ Lawrence, 5:15
Canterbury @ Portsmouth Abbey, 5:00
Noble & Greenough @ Governor Dummer, 5:30
New England Coyotes @ Kent, 6:00
Thurs. Feb. 23, 2006:
Thayer @ St. Mark’s, 5:00
Fri. Feb. 24, 2006:
Southfield @ Rivers, 3:00
Thayer @ Tabor, 4:45
East Coast Wizards @ Pomfret, 7:00
Kingswood-Oxford @ Kents Hill, 8:00
Sat. Feb. 25, 2006:
Kingswood-Oxford @ Hebron, 1:00
Lebanon High School @ Proctor, 1:30
NMH @ Tabor, 1:30
Rivers @ Tilton, 2:00
Noble & Greenough @ Milton, 2:00
Exeter @ Andover, 2:00
Taft @ Hotchkiss, 2:30
Loomis-Chaffee @ Deerfield, 3:00
Portsmouth Abbey @ Greenwich Academy, 3:00
Groton @ St. Mark's, 3:45
KUA @ Williston, 3:45
Brooks @ Governor Dummer, 4:00
New Hampton @ Kent’s Hill, 4:00
St. Paul's @ Lawrence, 4:00
BB&N @ Thayer, 4:15
Conn. Northern Lights @ Canterbury, 4:45
Holderness @ Brewster, 5:00
Cushing @ Choate, 6:00
Westminster @ Kent, 6:30
This Week's Games
Mon. Feb. 13, 2006:
Kent @ Taft, 5:00
Brooks @ Noble & Greenough, 5:00
Wed. Feb. 15, 2006:
Thayer @ Kingswood-Oxford, 2:00
Taft @ Westminster, 2:30
Canterbury @ Millbrook, 2:30
Kent @ Hotchkiss, 2:30
Holderness @ Vermont Academy, 2:30
KUA @ Tilton, 2:30
NMH @ Williston, 2:30
Pomfret @ St. Mark's, 2:45
Cushing @ Deerfield, 2:45
Groton @ Brooks, 3:00
Exeter @ New Hampton, 3:00
Middlesex @ Lawrence, 3:30
Pingree @ Dana Hall, 3:45
St. Paul's @ BB&N, 4:00
Brunswick @ Winsor, 4:00
Kent’s Hill @ Brewster, 4:00
Choate @ Berkshire, 4:00
Andover @ Noble & Greenough, 4:30
Greenwich @ Gunnery, 4:30
Hebron @ Proctor, 4:30
St. George's @ Milton, 5:00
Loomis @ Springfield Pics, 5:00
Rivers @ GDA, 5:45
Thurs. Feb. 16, 2006:
Choate @ Kingswood-Oxford, 5:00
Fri. Feb. 17, 2006:
Holderness @ New Hampton, 2:00
Greenwich vs. Brewster, 4:15 (@ Rye CD)
Brooks @ Middlesex, 5:00
Milton @ Andover, 5:00
Tabor @ St. Mark's, 5:30
Berwick @ Newton CD, 5:00
Southfield @ Winsor, 5:15
Concord High School @ Proctor, 6:30
Sat. Feb. 18, 2006:
Hanover HS @ Holderness, 1:15
BB&N @ St. Mark's, 1:30
Brewster @ Gunnery, 1:30
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Exeter, 1:30
Lawrence @ Governor Dummer, 2:00
Thayer @ Kent’s Hill, 2:00
Cushing @ Pomfret, 2:15
Kent @ Kingswood-Oxford, 2:30
Tilton @ Vermont Academy, 2:45
Hotchkiss @ Deerfield, 3:30
St. Paul's @ Noble & Greenough, 3:30
Choate @ Taft, 4:00
Williston @ Loomis, 4:00
Proctor @ Pingree, 4:30
Tabor @ New Hampton, 4:30
Mon. Feb. 20, 2006:
N.E. Falcons @ Pomfret, 8:00
Tue. Feb. 21, 2006:
Kingswood-Oxford @ Taft, 4:30
Vermont Academy @ KUA, 4:30
2/8/06
Chessare, Gallagher Lead St. Mark's
Milton, Mass. -- Freshman forward Caroline Chessare scored the game winner and junior goaltender Megan Gallager kicked out 20 shots to lead St. Mark's to a 3-1 win over Milton Academy here today.
On the winning goal, which came at the 9:10 mark of the third period, senior Rachel Lindmark drove to the net and Chessare knocked home the rebound, giving St. Mark's a 2-1 lead.
Freshman Casey Pickett added an empty-netter with 14 seconds left for the final 3-1 margin of victory.
Early on, it looked like St. Mark's might win this one handily, as they dominated the first period, but were unable to score on Milton junior goalie Amanda Rothschild, who kept the Mustangs in the game.
Between periods, Milton woke up and came out for the second with some jam, getting a couple of good scoring opportunities early.
However, it was St. Mark's who scored first, as Lindmark knocked home a pass from the corner that seemed to deflect off a skate or stick before eluding Rothschild at the 10:12 mark. Shannon Coffey and Merly Poulin were awarded assists on the goal.
At the buzzer, Poulin was given a major and a game DQ for a hit from behind, giving Milton a four-minute power play to start the third.
Milton was unable to generate much offense, as St. Mark's killed the penalty aggressively.
However, 34 seconds after killing off the penalty, St. Mark's was whistled for another penalty. And on this one, Milton cashed in, tying the game up at 1-1 when Meredith Frechette-Moulter knocked home the rebound Hillary McNamara shot at the 5:15 mark.
Less than four minutes later St. Mark's would strike for the winning goal.
Afterward, St. Mark's head coach Marissa Halligan said, "We played really well shorthanded and capitalized on our chances. Megan played really well between the pipes."
Down the hall, Milton head coach Wendy Holden said she felt her team recovered well from a poor first period.
"By the third period, it really looked like a game. I would have liked to have seen the whole game like that. It also would have been nice to take advantage of the (four minute) power play."
2/6/06
This Week's Games
Wed. Feb. 08, 2006:
Exeter @ Kimball Union, 1:30
Kent @ Canterbury, 2:00
Millbrook @ Gunnery, 2:30
Cushing @ Lawrence, 3:00
Williston @ Choate, 3:00
Dana Hall @ Thayer, 3:10
Proctor @ Berwick, 3:15
Berkshire @ Pomfret, 3:30
St. George's @ BB&N, 3:30
Noble & Greenough @ Groton, 3:30
Wyoming Seminary @ Hill, 4:00
Hotchkiss @ Loomis, 4:00
Winsor @ Pingree, 4:00
St. Paul’s @ Middlesex, 4:00
Brewster @ Rivers, 4:10
Deerfield @ Westminster, 4:30
Holderness @ Brooks, 4:30
Tabor @ Andover, 4:30
NMH @ Kingswood-Oxford, 4:30
St. Mark's @ Milton, 5:15
Taft @ Greenwich, 5:15
Kents Hill @ New Hampton, 6:00
Fri. Feb. 10, 2006:
Thayer @ St. Mark's, 3:30
Pingree @ Newton CD, 3:45
Nichols @ Cushing, 4:00
NYA @ Hebron, 4:45
Governor Dummer @ Exeter, 4:45
Rivers @ Winsor, 5:15
Andover @ Brewster, 5:30
BB&N @ Noble & Greenough, 6:00
Lawrenceville @ Greenwich, 6:30
Sat. Feb. 11, 2006:
Nichols @ Noble & Greenough, 12:00
Greenwich @ Northfield Mt. Hermon, 1:00
Proctor @ Holderness, 1:30
Berwick @ KUA, 1:30
Lawrence @ Thayer, 1:45
St. Mark's @ Rivers, 2:00
Tabor @ Pomfret, 2:15
Deerfield @ Berkshire, 2:15
Choate @ Loomis, 2:30
GDA @ St. Paul’s, 2:30
Kingswood-Oxford @ Gunnery, 2:30
Hotchkiss @ Taft, 2:30
Middlesex @ Milton, 2:30
Brooks @ St. George's, 2:45
Hebron @ Brewster, 3:30
Lawrenceville @ Canterbury, 4:00
New Hampton @ Vermont Academy, 4:00
Exeter @ Kent's Hill, 4:30
Shady Side Academy @ Princeton DS, 5:15
Millbrook @ Kent, 7:30
Sun. Feb. 12, 2006:
Hill @ Canterbury, 11:00 am
Mon. Feb. 13, 2006:
Kents Hill @ Hebron, 4:00
Kent @ Taft, 5:00
Brooks @ Noble & Greenough, 5:00
This Week's Games
Wed. Feb. 1, 2006:
Hotchkiss @ Berkshire, 2:00
Westminster @ Pomfret, 2:30
Proctor @ Vermont Academy, 2:30
Andover @ Exeter, 2:45
Taft @ Williston-Northampton, 3:00
Brewster @ Cushing, 3:00
Thayer @ Brooks, 3:00
Loomis @ Gunnery, 3:00
St. Paul’s @ St. Mark's, 3:15
Millbrook @ Kingswood-Oxford, 3:30
Noble & Greenough @ St. George's, 4:00
Berwick @ Tilton, 4:00
New Hampton @ Southfield, 4:00
Kents Hill vs. KUA (@ Exeter), 4:15
Springfield Pics @ Deerfield, 4:30
Portsmouth Abbey @ Pingree, 4:30
NMH @ Choate, 4:30
Greenwich @ Kent, 4:30
Lawrence @ Milton, 4:30
Wyoming Seminary @ Lawrenceville, 4:30
Governor Dummer @ BB&N, 4:45
Holderness @ Hebron, 4:45
Groton @ Middlesex, 5:30
Conn. Stars @ Canterbury, 6:00
Fri. Feb. 3, 2006:
Berkshire @ Cushing, 2:00
Dana Hall @ Berwick, 4:00
NAHA @ Exeter, 4:30
Hebron @ Middlesex, 4:30
BB&N @ Pingree, 5:00
Lawrence @ Tabor, 6:30
Dover U-16 @ Proctor, 6:30
Sat. Feb. 4, 2006:
Greenwich vs. Southfield, 10:30 am (@ Middlebury College)
Rivers @ Milton, 12:00
Brooks @ Noble & Greenough, 2:00
Kimball Union @ Proctor, 2:00
Thayer @ Exeter, 2:00
Vermont Academy @ NMH, 2:30
Lawrenceville @ Hill School, 4:00
Kents Hill @ Holderness, 4:00
Winsor @ Berwick, 5:30
New Hampton @ Tilton, 6:00
Springfield Pics @ Tabor, 6:00
NCCC @ Northwood, 7:00
