By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
Nantucket Youth Hockey sent two teams to Martha’s Vineyard Saturday as part of the annual Island Cup festivities, and split two games against their island neighbors. Across the street from the football field, the Peewee team defeated the Vineyard 7-1, while the Nantucket Bantam team lost 6-1.
The Peewee team improved to 5-0 this season with all games coming against the Martha’s Vineyard squad.
On Saturday, goalie Ben Daniels played his first-ever complete game between the posts and with the help of defensemen Dylan Perry, John Balling, Keegan Bartlett and Derrick Marland, held the Vineyard offense at bay.
The Nantucket squad remained focused despite all the activity on the busy day on the Vineyard, coach Mike Ramos said. Bailey Shirley led the Peewees with three goals, while Marland, Derek Moore, Jay Howard and Christian Lombardi scored one goal each in the win.
It was only the third game of the season for the Bantams, who fell to 1-2 overall with the loss. The team has also played Duxbury twice, beating them 2-1 and losing by the same score. Two games against Newport were canceled due to weather earlier in the month. Nantucket is scheduled to travel to Taunton this weekend to face off against Tri-County.
Against Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday, the Bantams were up against a team that has been playing high-level competition in eight games this season.
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket were on a similar playing level last year as members of the Cape League. This season the Vineyard moved up to play in the Foxboro League against B level competition, while the Bantams are playing an independent schedule.
“Martha’s Vineyard played very well. They really played well. They pretty much controlled the play the entire game, both in the offensive zone and the neutral zone,” head coach Steve Theroux said. “It was hard for us to generate any offense because any time we were in the neutral zone, they were on us.”
Trailing 2-0 10 minutes into the second period, Nantucket cut the deficit in half. Ethan Lockley fed Steve Reis, who worked the puck down low and put a good shot on net for the only goal of the game. Martha’s Vineyard went on to score four unanswered goals in the second period to take the 6-1 victory.
“Martha’s Vineyard played a very strong, physical game and every time we tried to carry the puck through the neutral zone they popped us,” Theroux said.
Nantucket out-numbered the Vineyard squad 20 to 12, but could not tire out its opponents. Martha’s Vineyard put 21 shots on net compared to 17 from Nantucket.
The two teams will play against each other Jan. 17 at the TD BankNorth Garden in Boston through the Future Bruins Program.
Twelve of the 20 players on the Bantam team play together on the Junior Whalers team, while the remaining eight will be eligible for the high school team this winter.
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