New kids on the block: Young THS players step up in 4-3 hockey win

Monday
Jan 8, 2018 at 11:10 PM

Steve Sanchez Gazette Sports Editor @Chezsports

TAUNTON — The Taunton High hockey team lost quite a few key players from last year's playoff team.

So many of the younger kids, who have little experience, had to step up.

Monday night's non-league matchup with Cardinal Spellman was a good starting point.

"Not something we wanted to practice from but it was a good effort and good things to see out of it, especially with a young group," Tigers head coach Kris Metea said. "It's what we teach our kids about life in general, it's about resiliency. You never know what you're going to get. You have to react to every situation."

Mike Albert scored a pair of short-handed goals and Taunton held off a late rally by the Cardinals to post a 4-3 victory at Aleixo Ice Arena.

With the victory, the Tigers improved to 4-3 on the season.

Trevor Pietrzyk and Jakob Roberts each scored goals for Taunton. Brady Nichols chipped in with a pair of assists while Cam Sneyd and Will Walsh also gathered assists. Griffin Cournan led Spellman with a goal and an assist. Thomas McSweeney and Michael Bowen also netted goals.

Goalie Sean Bunker collected the win in net for the Tigers, making 28 saves.

Taunton, who outshot the Cardinals — 41-34 — also killed off six of seven penalties whistled against them.

The Tigers got on the board first with 7:13 left in the first period. While on the penalty kill, Albert collected a loose puck at the blue line and tucked the puck under Zachary Richards (26 saves) for a 1-0 lead.

Albert netted his second short-handed goal in the second period on assists from Sneyd and Nichols to give Taunton a 2-0 lead at the 8:36 mark.

However, Spellman (1-7) countered with a pair of goals within 1:45 seconds to tie the game at 2-2. McSweeney batted in a rebound on a shot from Cournan. Moments later, Cournan whistled a shot past Bunker.

The Tigers regained the lead 3-2 just before the end of the second period on a goal from Pietrzyk on a nice pass from Roberts and Nichols. Taunton scored early in the third period on Roberts' goal from Walsh.

But the Cardinals made things interesting late with a goal by Bowen with 33 seconds left on assists from Liam Pohl and Goodwin.

But it was too little, too late.

"You never play games on paper," Metea said. "You play them because you never know. That's the beauty of sports. Anyone can win at any given time."

 

 

Monday
Jan 8, 2018 at 11:10 PM

Steve Sanchez Gazette Sports Editor @Chezsports

TAUNTON — The Taunton High hockey team lost quite a few key players from last year's playoff team.

So many of the younger kids, who have little experience, had to step up.

Monday night's non-league matchup with Cardinal Spellman was a good starting point.

"Not something we wanted to practice from but it was a good effort and good things to see out of it, especially with a young group," Tigers head coach Kris Metea said. "It's what we teach our kids about life in general, it's about resiliency. You never know what you're going to get. You have to react to every situation."

Mike Albert scored a pair of short-handed goals and Taunton held off a late rally by the Cardinals to post a 4-3 victory at Aleixo Ice Arena.

With the victory, the Tigers improved to 4-3 on the season.

Trevor Pietrzyk and Jakob Roberts each scored goals for Taunton. Brady Nichols chipped in with a pair of assists while Cam Sneyd and Will Walsh also gathered assists. Griffin Cournan led Spellman with a goal and an assist. Thomas McSweeney and Michael Bowen also netted goals.

Goalie Sean Bunker collected the win in net for the Tigers, making 28 saves.

Taunton, who outshot the Cardinals — 41-34 — also killed off six of seven penalties whistled against them.

The Tigers got on the board first with 7:13 left in the first period. While on the penalty kill, Albert collected a loose puck at the blue line and tucked the puck under Zachary Richards (26 saves) for a 1-0 lead.

Albert netted his second short-handed goal in the second period on assists from Sneyd and Nichols to give Taunton a 2-0 lead at the 8:36 mark.

However, Spellman (1-7) countered with a pair of goals within 1:45 seconds to tie the game at 2-2. McSweeney batted in a rebound on a shot from Cournan. Moments later, Cournan whistled a shot past Bunker.

The Tigers regained the lead 3-2 just before the end of the second period on a goal from Pietrzyk on a nice pass from Roberts and Nichols. Taunton scored early in the third period on Roberts' goal from Walsh.

But the Cardinals made things interesting late with a goal by Bowen with 33 seconds left on assists from Liam Pohl and Goodwin.

But it was too little, too late.

"You never play games on paper," Metea said. "You play them because you never know. That's the beauty of sports. Anyone can win at any given time."

 

 

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