The ConVal-Conant boys’ ice hockey team looked good in a win over Monadnock-Fall Mountain Thursday and looked even better in a loss to John Stark-Hopkinton Saturday evening.
Coach Scott Tracy shifted his lineup in recent weeks to combat the Griffins’ low numbers. To allow Braden Crisp to bolster a defensive line, Tracy moved Crisp out of goal and replaced him with Tanyan Scott, who has no experience as an ice hockey goalie but is seasoned as a dek hockey keeper.
“He’s had a real positive impact,” Tracy said, “making decent saves and and really not playing poorly at all.”
What’s more, adding Crisp to the defense gives ConVal-Conant two full offensive and defensive lines, cutting down on ice time for the Griffins, who have been conditioned to a whole new level this winter given the small lineups. Between that conditioning and the lineup shift, ConVal-Conant is finding their way and looks like a whole new team in recent weeks.
“We have high expectations for the rest of the season,” Tracy said. “[I told them] ‘You can do this, you can beat teams and you can win these games, and it will be absolutely gratifying to know that you’re playing solid hockey. We’re not asking you to be superstars, we’re asking you to play within the structures, play within the team boundaries and poke one in from time to time.”
The shift was on display in Wednesday’s 4-2 win over Monadnock, but it was in Saturday’s 5-4 loss to John Stark-Hopkinton where the Griffins really showed their improvement.
After going down early in the game, the Griffins got an eye-popping goal from senior defender Elias Niemela, who launched a shot from his own blue line that sailed across the arena and somehow got in past the opposing keeper, hitting the stick and squirming in through the five-hole to cut the lead to 3-2 as the second period ended.
Tracy was astounded by the long shot, which gave the Griffins some much-needed momentum by keeping the game in reach.
“It’s coming by the bench eye-high on me – and I’m standing on the bench!” Tracy marveled.
JS-H scored twice in the third period and briefly looked like they’d run away with it, but senior forward Mason Devost stepped into his office behind the net – “He’s like a little Gretzky,” Tracy said – and scored off a Niemela assist to cut into the lead. Niemela would score once more on an assist from Aiden King to make the score a 5-4 final.
“We couldn’t have scripted that any better for the boys,” Tracy said, “because they worked hard, they never gave up. It was a loss on the score sheet but it was a win for our boys. I think it was a turning of the page.”
Tracy said the game was a total team effort all-around, and that Owen Yeaw was a physical force on the ice who didn’t show up on the scoresheet.
Scott made 34 saves in the game.
“The kid played out of his mind,” Tracy said. “For a dek hockey goalie to step in between the pipes and play the way he did was unreal.”
ConVal-Conant (3-7) hosts Sanborn on Wednesday evening.
Berlin-Gorham 8, ConVal-Conant 2
The Griffins got goals from Aubrey Niemela and Olivia Martino in Saturday’s loss to Berlin-Gorham, with assists from Tessa Spingola and Addie Lustenberger.
Spingola was voted player of the game for standing strong in the physical battle with Berlin.
ConVal-Conant (1-12-1) is at Concord Wednesday.