Sandwich Blue Knight Hockey Battles Falmouth To A 4-4 Tie

By: Rich Maclone
Published: 01/18/13

The Blue Knights (6-3-1, 3-2-1 ACL) started the scoring with a power play goal at the 2:12 mark of the first period on a tip-in by Jon Cassista, who put home a nice cross out of the corner by Maverick Hauck.

Falmouth responded by scoring just 16 seconds later. Durham Ghelfi snapped one in from the low slot, off a feed from Cyrus Wickersham to knot the score at 2:28.

FHS added to the lead at the 6:05 mark when Matt Kinchla flew up the left wing side to get to a loose puck and fired a pass across the crease to Robbie Souza, who touched it to the far post for a 2-1 Falmouth lead.

After that, though, Falmouth began a parade to the penalty box. Over the final eight minutes of the period Falmouth collected six minutes worth of penalties. The FHS penalty killers did a nice job, though, allowing just three shots on goal during that time and adding to the lead in the final minute when Wickersham stepped in front of a slapper to block it, then kicked the puck ahead to himself for a breakaway before roofing a wrist shot past Nick Kennedy to make it 3-1 at 14:41 of the period.

Over the remainder of the game, Sandwich chipped away at the lead. The Blue Knights outshot the Clippers 28-17 in the game and refused to go away despite the deficit. They made it a 3-2 game at the 9:15 mark of the second at the end of a Falmouth power play. Cassista stepped onto the ice and picked up the puck to lead a 2-on-1 break for the Knights. Cassista crossed the puck over to Max Kent, who chopped at the puck and got it to run up and over goalie Jake Beaton (24 saves), cutting Falmouth’s lead to one.

FHS got that one back 65 seconds later, on Wickersham’s second of the game.

The two-goal lead lasted a little over four minutes. Inside the final seconds of the second period, Sandwich struck back to make it 4-3 on a nice play by Kent, who hustled to get over to a pass from Josh Noonan and ripped a wrister from the right wing circle to the far post, using a Falmouth defenseman as a screen in the process.

Kyle Brubaker netted the equalizer for the Knights at 4:32 of the third. He made a nice move around the Falmouth defense and wristed a shot to the low stick side knotting things up.

FHS had opportunities late to get the lead back, but Kennedy came up big. He robbed Ghelfi with about three minutes left, coming across the crease to take away a quality bid. Then, with a minute to go, he used his right shoulder to shrug aside a laser by Storm Fotiu.

The tie cost Falmouth (4-2-4, 4-1-1 ACL) their share of a first place tie in the Atlantic Coast League with new league leader Marshfield (7-3, 5-1 ACL).

Sandwich Bests Plymouth South 

After surrendering a goal to the visiting Plymouth South Panthers Saturday night, the Blue Knights slammed the door defensively, while scoring four times in a 4-1 SHS victory.

Six and a half minutes into the opening period the Panthers struck, but held the lead for just two minutes before the Knights retaliated with the equalizer. Skating on a power play Connor O’Leary fed Maverick Hauck for Hauck’s first of three goals on the night. Hauck scored his second goal of the period in the final minute, again on a power play this time with the assist going to Drew Buckland.

After a scoreless second period, in which the Knights successfully killed two penalties, Sandwich held their 2-1 lead until with three minutes remaining Max Kent broke in on the PS goal unassisted making it a 3-1 Blue Knight lead and putting the game out of reach for the Panthers.

Hauck put the icing on the cake with 1:11 to play when Jon Cassista set him up for his hat trick.

Sandwich pounded the Plymouth South net with 47 shots, while the Blue Knight defense held the Panthers to just 14 shots on goal. Nick Kennedy picked up the win in net for the Knights.

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