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Sat. 2/20/16

#1 Avon Escapes With a Tie at Salisbury

Salisbury, Conn. -- A Jamie Armstrong power play goal with 59 seconds left in regulation allowed #1 Avon Old Farms (17-1-4) to get out of Dodge with a 1-1 tie against host Salisbury (18-4-1) in a high-tempo game played before a full house here today.

On the tying goal, Salisbury was unable to clear the zone along the far wall, in front of the home bench. Avon's Ben Mirageas kept it in and got it to Patrick Harper who in turn got it to Armstrong, who cut from the left faceoff circle across the top of the crease and backhanded a nifty shot up under the crossbar. 

It was the only goal of the day allowed by Avon's Brandon Schellin, who wasn't even the starting goalie. About five minutes into the game Schellin replaced senior Matt Ladd, who lost an edge. Schellin, a junior from Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., wound up kicking out 29 of the 30 shots he faced and was the Winged Beavers' key player today.

At the other end, junior Nick Sorgio was strong for Salisbury, stopping 16 of 17 shots.

Right from the get-go, Salisbury played a solid game. In the first period, which was scoreless, the Knights outshot Avon 13-4. Salisbury, playing on its big sheet, did a terrific job backchecking and keeping Avon -- and, most importantly, Patrick Harper -- well to the outside. No one was setting up in front of Sorgio, as the shot total illustrates. 

The second period featured more of the same, though Avon, while still having a difficult time sustaining pressure in the Salisbury end, began to find their game a bit.

At the 5:27 mark, Salisbury went up 1-0 when, on the power play, Jordan Kaplan deflected an Edgars Treijs shot past Schellin. Defenseman Dayne Finnson also had an assist on the play.

The line of Treijs-Tom Lee-Tyce Thompson tried to add to the lead, putting some heavy pressure on Schellin in the wake of Kaplan's goal, but came up empty.

Salisbury outshot Avon 10-4 in the second.

In the third period Avon came to life, especially during a stretch of 4x4 play, and wound up outshooting Salisbury 9-6 (including OT). Still, it looked like it was Salisbury's game heading into the final minutes. Avon got a break when Salisbury's Finnson was called for a cross-check with 2:26 left in regulation. Harper and Armstrong, who had been stymied all afternoon, came through, and Avon's unbeaten streak improved to 21 games.

"The story for us," Avon coach John Gardner said, "was the play of Schellin."

"Salisbury outplayed us for two periods. The second period was better than the first, as we changed our forecheck. The third period was our best period.

"Salisbury deserves a lot of credit. They are a well-coached, disciplined team. They are very good defensively. And we couldn't break them down.

"We did not execute on the power play. We knew what they were doing, but we just didn't execute. Our power play needs to be better."

Salisbury's Andrew Will said, "I am happy with the way we played today and with the way the boys handled the excitement and pressure of a big game."

"I thought we had some terrific chances, but their goalie played well and limited second opportunities. We gave them one very good chance in the third and they were able to capitalize.

"I thought our gap control was terrific. Avon is a talented, skilled team and we didn't allow them to gain speed through the neutral zone. I also thought our guys were very good away from the puck.

"We ended up taking a penalty late. We had a chance to get the puck out but didn't -- and they capitalized.

"As a team, because of a poor Flood-Marr Tournament, we used up our wiggle room early. We have had to play with urgency and purpose. So we had to start approaching each game as a playoff game. This is a tough stretch we're in and the guys have been very focused. We had the lead today, but we definitely weren't waiting for the clock to run out. That's the mentality you need at this time of year." 

Sun. 2/28/16 -- Updated Mon. a.m.

2016 Girls Prep Playoff Schedule

 Here are the matchups. We'll be filling in the game times as they become available.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016 -- Quarterfinals -- at Campus Sites

Div. I
#1 Nobles vs. #8 St. Paul's, 3:30 pm -- @ Nobles
#2 Williston vs. #7 Milton, 5:00 pm -- @ Williston
#3 Loomis vs. #6 New Hampton, 4:15 pm -- @ Loomis
#4 Kent vs #5 Andover, 3:45 pm -- @ Choate

Div. II
#1 Brooks vs. #8 Southfield, 3:30 pm -- @ Brooks
#2 St. George's vs. #7 Gunnery, 3:00 pm -- @ St. George's
#3 Worcester vs. #6 Canterbury, 3:30 pm -- @ NESC, Marlborough, Mass.
#4 Rivers vs. #5 Proctor, 5:00 pm -- @ Rivers

Saturday, March 5, 2016 -- Semifinals -- at Higher Seeds

Div. I
#1-8 winner vs. #4-5 winner
#2-7 winner vs. #3-6 winner

Div. II
#1-8 winner vs. #4-5 winner
#2-7 winner vs. #3-6 winner

Sunday, March 6, 2016 -- Championship Games -- at Noble & Greenough School
Div. II -- 12:30 pm
Div. I -- 3:00 pm

Sun. 2/21/16

Girls' Prep Composite, Week of Feb. 22, 2016

Sun. 2/14/16

Girls' Prep Composite, Week of Feb. 15, 2016

Mon. Feb. 15
St. George's @ Governor's, 4:15 pm
Rivers @ Milton, 5:15 pm

Tues. Feb. 16
Stanstead College @ Brewster Academy, 4:00 pm -- cancelled

Wed. Feb. 17
Loomis-Chaffee @ Pomfret, 2:30 pm
Kent @ Hotchkiss, 2:30 pm
Northfield-Mt. Hermon @ Williston-Northampton, 2:30 pm
Kimball Union @ Tilton, 2:30 pm
Winchendon @ Worcester Academy, 3:00 pm
Middlesex @ Lawrence Academy, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Westminster, 3:00 pm
Andover @ Noble & Greenough, 3:15 pm
Rivers @ Governor's, 3:45 pm
Cushing @ Deerfield, 4:00 pm
Tabor @ Exeter, 4:00 pm
Canterbury @ Millbrook, 4:00 pm
Thayer @ St. Mark's, 4:15 pm
Berwick @ Winsor, 4:15 pm
Groton @ Brooks, 4:30 pm
St. George's @ Milton, 4:30 pm
Gunnery @ Vermont Academy, 4:30 pm
Choate @ Berkshire, 4:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Pingree, 4:30 pm
St. Paul's @ BB&N, 4:45 pm
Hebron @ Proctor, 4:45 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Rye Country Day, 4:45 pm
Kents Hill @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:45 pm
New Hampton @ Southfield, 5:00 pm

Fri. Feb 19
BB&N @ Lawrence Academy, 8:00 am
Berwick @ Pingree, 4:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Thayer, 4:15 pm
Southfield @ Tabor, 4:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Kimball Union, 4:30 pm
Hebron @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:45 pm
Newton CD @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:45 pm
Brooks @ Middlesex, 5:00 pm
Milton @ Andover, 5:30 pm
Northfield-Mt. Hermon @ Cushing, 5:45 pm
Kent @ Berkshire, 5:45 pm
Holderness @ Worcester Academy, 7:00 pm

Sat. Feb. 20
Lawrence Academy @ Governor's, 12:30 pm
Brewster Academy @ Milton, 1:00 pm
Pomfret @ Cushing, 1:00 pm
Northfield-Mt. Hermon @ Exeter, 1:30 pm
Winsor @ Portsmouth Abbey, 1:30 pm
Kents Hill @ New Hampton, 2:00 pm
BB&N @ St. Mark's, 2:00 pm
Choate @ Taft, 2:00 pm
Rivers @ Proctor, 2:00 pm
Tilton @ Vermont Academy, 2:30 pm
Darien HS @ Greenwich, 2:30 pm
St. Paul's @ Noble & Greenough, 3:00 pm
Berwick @ Southfield, 3:00 pm
Groton @ St. George's, 3:00 pm
Holderness @ Middlesex, 3:00 pm
Brooks @ Tabor, 3:15 pm
Hebron @ Kimball Union, 4:00 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Newton CD, 4:00 pm
Millbrook @ Lawrenceville, 4:30 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Loomis-Chaffee, 5:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Deerfield, 5:00 pm
Berkshire @ Westminster, 5:00 pm
Canterbury @ Winchendon, 5:00 pm

Sun. Feb. 21
Deerfield @ Taft, 1:00 pm

Mon. Feb. 22
Greenwich @ Millbrook, 4:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Westminster, 5:00 pm
Canterbury @ Berkshire, 5:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Tabor, 6:00 pm 

Sun. 2/7/16

Girls' Prep Composite, Week of Feb. 8, 2016

Mon. Feb. 8
Winsor @ Middlesex, 4:45 pm

Wed. Feb. 10
Kent @ Canterbury, 2:00 pm
Exeter @ Kimball Union, 2:00 pm
Millbrook @ Gunnery, 2:30 pm
Hotchkiss @ Loomis-Chaffee, 3:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Middlesex, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Greenwich, 3:00 pm
Winchendon @ Southfield, 3:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Tilton, 3:00 pm
St. Mark's @ Milton, 3:15 pm
Thayer @ Governor's, 3:15 pm
Tabor @ Andover, 3:30 pm
Williston-Northampton @ Choate, 3:30 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Groton, 3:45 pm
Holderness @ Brooks, 3:45 pm
Brewster Academy @ Proctor, 4:00 pm
Stanstead College @ New Hampton, 4:00 pm
North Yarmouth Academy @ Newton CD, 4:00 pm
St. George's @ BB&N, 4:00 pm
Berkshire @ Pomfret, 4:00 pm
Worcester Academy @ Rivers, 4:30 pm
Deerfield @ Westminster, 4:30 pm
Pingree @ Portsmouth Abbey, 4:30 pm
Berwick @ Hebron, 4:45 pm
Cushing @ Lawrence Academy, 5:30 pm

Thurs. Feb. 11
Berwick @ Kents Hill, 5:45 pm

Fri. Feb. 12
Brewster Academy @ New Hampton, 4:00 pm
Newton CD @ Winsor, 4:00 pm
St. Paul's @ Tabor, 4:15 pm
Vermont Academy @ Northfield - Mt. Hermon, 4:30 pm
BB&N @ Noble & Greenough, 5:30 pm
Governor's @ Andover, 6:00 pm
Southfield @ Proctor, 6:00 pm

Sat. Feb. 13
Cushing @ Northfield - Mt. Hermon, 1:00 pm
Kingswood-Oxford @ Gunnery, 1:30 pm
St. Mark's @ Rivers, 2:00 pm
Hotchkiss @ Taft, 2:30 pm
Governor's @ St. Paul's, 2:30 pm
Tabor @ Pomfret, 2:30 pm
Kimball Union @ Williston-Northampton, 2:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Rye Country Day, 2:45 pm
New Hampton @ Exeter, 3:00 pm
Noble & Greenough @ Westminster, 3:15 pm
Brooks @ St. George's, 3:30 pm
Canterbury vs. Hebron, 3:30 pm -- at Phillips Exeter
Middlesex @ Milton, 3:30 pm
Holderness @ Proctor, 3:45 pm
Deerfield @ Berkshire, 4:00 pm
Kents Hill @ Winchendon, 4:00 pm
Millbrook @ Kent, 4:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Worcester Academy, 5:00 pm
Lawrence Academy @ Thayer, 5:30 pm
Choate @ Loomis-Chaffee, 7:00 pm

Sun. Feb. 14
Winchendon @ Hebron, 12:00 pm
Canterbury vs. Kents Hill, 12:30 pm -- at Phillips Exeter 
Lawrenceville @ Hotchkiss, 1:00 pm