Kids Hockey Wrapup
Flames beat Panthers to win Tier 2 state title
The Manchester Flames Midget Major 2 hockey team won the Tier 2 New Hampshire state championship, beating the Nashua Panthers Pro Ambitions in the final, to qualify for the national championship in Rochester, N.Y.
After securing the top seed in the regular season, the Flames opened the playoffs with a 7-2 win over the Hollis Cavaliers. Derek Wyman scored twice while Ethan Siemiesz, John Garrity, Bryson Bilodeau, Jake Valluzzi and Dan Smith also tallied for the Flames. Smith also contributed a pair of assists while Kody Kenia, Jared Pellerin, Garrity, Siemiesz and Paul Hickey recorded one helper each.
The only blemish for the Flames came at the hands of the Rochester Blackhawks in the form of a 4-1 loss. Pellerin had the lone score (Bilodeau and Valluzzi assisting).
In the semifinal matchup, the Flames dispatched the NH East Eagles with a 5-4 victory. Smith, Hickey, Wyman, Valluzzi and Sam Swenson lit the lamp. Hickey recorded three assists and Kenia had a pair. Colby Misiaszek and Garrity also added helpers.
The championship game pitted the Flames against Nashua, who beat Manchester in both of their regular season contests. The Flames jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period on goals by Kenia and Siemiesz. Sam Pelletier assisted on Kenia’s tally and Kenia set-up the Siemiesz score. Nashua fought back and tied the game at two on a successful penalty shot in the second period. Kenia, who figured in every goal in the final contest, set up third period scores by Hickey and Garrity. With time winding down, Nashua pulled its goalie and scored with 20 seconds remaining to account for the 4-3 final score.
Kurt Isaak backstopped the wins in Games 1 and 3, while Tom Cowan picked up the win in the clincher.
Panthers take second
The Nashua Panthers Pro Ambitions Midget Major hockey team took second place in the Tier 2 New Hampshire state championship. In the opening game, Nashua played to a 1-1 tie against NH East. Jamison Syphers had the lone goal for the Panthers. Against Berlin, Nashua prevailed by a score of 5-1. Goal scorers for the select team where Stephen Chesnell, Dave Shaw, Phil Winn, Casey Bourque and Brendan Demers.
The win put Nashua in semifinals against Rochester. After a hard fought battle by both teams and scoreless fist and second periods the game opened up for Nashua as the Panthers scored six unanswered goals: Shaun McLaughlin had a hat trick, Eric Hamer had two goals and Stephen Chesnell had one. Dylan Tardif earned a shutout in goal.
In the final, Nashua was matched up with the Flames. Nashua got goals from McLaughlin and Winn in a 4-3 loss.
Nashua extends streak
The Nashua Panthers Bantam II hockey team extended its undefeated streak to 15 games with two wins.
The Panthers knocked off Acton-Boxboro (Mass.) 3-1 in Valley League. After the visitors from A-B scored the first goal of the game, the Panthers bounced back to score the next three goals. Jacob Boisvert tied the game with an unassisted goal. Jake Fagan blasted home a slap shot from the point on a feed from Mikey Powers to give Nashua the lead and in the third period Powers completed the scoring for Nashua when he knocked one in off the goalie’s shoulder.
The Panthers now sit at 1-0-1 in Valley League regular season.
The Panthers traveled to Laconia where they defeated the Lakers, 8-0, in Granite State League. Powers lit the lamp five times and added an assist. Ben Hadley, making his season debut, had a goal and three assists, while Stevie Barton and John Butler each found the back of the net once. Fagan (three), Declan Stone and Ben Woodward provided the assists. AJ Bender recorded his fourth shutout of the season, thanks in part to the strong defensive work of Mike Belanger and Brad Lyman. The Panthers sit in first place in Granite State Tier IV with a 7-0 record.
Mites fall to Groton
The Nashua Panthers Mite 2 hockey team lost a great defensive battle to Groton, 2-1. The lone Panthers goal was scored by Michael Jolicoeur off a nice feed from Sean Morrissey and Jake Hall. Danielle Chisholm had a solid game in net. Defensemen Ashok Arun, Brian Chisholm, Nolan Lacroix, Cody Sheedy and Nathan Arsenault played well.
Flames win three
The Sports Arena 1996 AAA Manchester Flames won three games. The Flames beat the 1995 AA Seacoast Spartans 3-2 in a Granite State League matchup.
The Spartans jumped out to an early lead before the Flames reacted. Flames goals were scored by Connor Powell, Josh Roy and Matt Moriarty. Assists went to Powell, Roy and Noah Duplessis (two).
The Flames found their offense and defeated the Valley Junior Warrior Selects 7-1. Early in the first period, Duplessis set up Powell to get the Flames going.
Duplessis and Powell assisted on a goal by Roy. John Foote made it 3-0 with Roy and Parker Anderson gathering assists. The Flames offensive surge continued with additional goals scored by Duplessis, Powell and two from Moriarty. Powell chipped in two additional assists and Andrew Kehas also registered an assist.
The Flames showed terrific teamwork in defeating the New England Moose 4-0. Goals were scored by Moriarty, Roy, Kehas and Powell. Anderson recorded two assists while Foote, Powell and Patrick Gagliardi also added assists.
Mitchell Schirch and Ian Beliveau provided great goaltending.
