By Dean Geddes
I&M Staff Writer
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Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Whaler goalie Ry Murphy covers up a shot by Cape Tech/Chatham’s Rich Randall (17) as Nantucket’s Jim Sjolund, far left, follows up on defense. The Whales lost their first-ever home game to CT/C 3-2, and are now 1-1 in their inaugural season. |
The rink was packed Friday night, the mirrored empty surface of Nantucket Ice reflecting up toward the rafters.
Then the lights dimmed and the music blared, and the Whalers club hockey team exploded onto home ice for the first time in its inaugural season.
Nantucket scored twice in the first period, but couldn’t find the back of the net for the rest of game as Cape Tech/Chatham skated off with the 3-2 victory. The loss dropped the Whalers to 1-1 on the season.
“They ran out of gas,” head coach Graeden Ambrose said of his players. “They were real excited for their first (home) game and used up a lot of energy in the first period.”
The Whalers out-shot the Blue Devils 19-10 in the opening period, but they could only muster 15 shots to CT/C’s 40 in the final two periods.
Ry Murphy was dominant between the pipes for the Whalers, making 47 saves on 50 shots, and refusing to allow his team to fall behind by more than a goal.
The game got underway with Whaler Bryce Eldridge taking the opening faceoff, skating into the slot and firing a wrist shot just wide of the net.
With 7:36 left in the first period, Nantucket’s Danny Kurash was called for interference and went to the box. As soon as the Whalers killed off the penalty, Harry Robishaw was called for interference, and CT/C immediately converted on their second power-play opportunity.
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Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Nantucket’s Gaven Norton (23) skates toward the net as Cape Tech/Chatham’s John Murphy pokes his stick in to break up the play on Friday at the Nantucket Ice rink. The Whalers lost 3-2 in their first-ever home game. |
Jeff Irving took a slap shot from the point and Seth Richie deflected the shot past Murphy for the game’s first goal, 10 minutes into the first period.
Thirty seconds after the goal, Irving was called for a cross-check and teammate Katie Minchella was also sent to the penalty box, giving the Whalers a golden opportunity to even the score with two minutes of five-on-three hockey.
With the Whalers pressuring in the CT/C zone, Irving stole the puck and skated the length of the ice, scoring a short-handed breakaway goal and giving CT/C a 2-0 lead.
But Nantucket didn’t allow the goal to faze them as they came right back and answered with a power-play goal of their own. Nantucket was getting good looks at the net, as they still had the two-man advantage, but were having trouble getting a shot past CT/C goalie Dave Perkins. Then Eldridge took a shot that deflected off Perkins’ pads right to Robishaw, who gathered in the rebound and scored.
With 4:03 left in the first period, Nantucket was within a goal and still had a minute of five-on-four hockey.
But CT/C was able to kill off the penalty, and looked ready to head into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead. But Whaler Ethan Bell got free on a breakaway, just as time was winding down, and he scored 10.9 seconds before the buzzer sounded, tying the game at two after one period.
Four minutes into the second period, CT/C was on the power play, but Nantucket was generating a strong short-handed attack. The Whalers were unable to score shorthanded, however, in large part due to solid goaltending by Perkins, but they we’re able to draw a CT/C penalty and put an end to their power play.
After the teams returned to even strength, CT/C began controlling the action as Nantucket was unable to muster any sustained attack in the CT/C zone.
With 5:34 left in the second period and CT/C camping out in the Whalers zone, Whaler James McIntosh was called for interference, putting CT/C on the power play.
Thirty seconds later, Murphy made a huge save on a slap shot and stuffed a CT/C player who was in front of the net trying to knock in the rebound.
But CT/C’s relentless power-play pressure was rewarded with a goal 30 seconds later when Dominic Bachard’s slap shot was blocked by Murphy but Matt Petruzzo was in the right place at the right time and knocked in the game-winning goal, making the score 3-2 with 4:36 left to play in the second period.
With CT/C picking up two penalties with under two minutes to go in the second, the Whalers had 30 seconds of five-on-three hockey to start the third period.
Nantucket had plenty of chances during those 30 seconds, but couldn’t put the puck between the pipes. Nantucket had another 1:30 of five-on-four hockey but CT/C was getting all the scoring opportunities despite being short-handed.
The final period was dominated by CT/C, but Murphy refused to allow another goal, stopping all 17 of the CT/C shots that came his way in the third period, with the majority of them coming from the slot.
Despite keeping the game close, Ambrose saw plenty of room for improvement. “We have room for improvement in every aspect of the game,” he said. “It’s time for our kids to take the next step.”
The Whalers’ next game isn’t until Jan. 18, when they travel off-island for a rematch with CT/C. Their next home game is on Jan. 19 against Bourne.
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