by Team Reporter-Nate Gordon ’16

Unable to create scoring opportunities, Williston Boys Hockey (10-8-2) was defeated by the Millbrook Mustangs (14-10-1) 3-1 at home on Saturday, February 8. With a 2-2 tie against Northfield Mt. Hermon (NMH) yesterday, February 7^th, Williston captured just one of four possible points in the standings this week.

After the game, Williston Head Coach Derek Cunha told his team, “We didn’t try to manufacture any goals [today]. We didn’t take enough pucks to [the net] today.”

Millbrook was sent to the penalty box eight times in this game, but Williston was unable to score on any of those power-plays.

In Williston’s first matchup against Millbrook on January 22^nd, the Wildcats gave up three goals in the third period and were defeated 6-5.

The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead with just under a minute to play in the first period. This is the second straight game in which Williston has allowed a goal in the final minute of the first period. Against NMH yesterday, Williston allowed a goal with just four seconds remaining. Cunha has often told the team that the first and last minute of periods are the most important.

In games decided by two goals or less this season (not including ties), Williston is just 3-6.

In the second period, the Wildcats tied the game with 12:52 remaining. Senior forward Anthony Mantz skated down the left side of the rink and unleashed a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that whizzed past the goalie’s right shoulder. The goal was assisted by senior defenseman Seth Cupak.

Cupak was back on the ice today after serving a one-game suspension yesterday against NMH. The suspension was due to Cupak receiving a game-misconduct penalty on January 29th against Loomis-Chaffee.

Eight minutes later, Millbrook took a 2-1 lead. The goal was scored by senior forward Brett Supinksi. It was his team-leading sixteenth goal of the season. Supinski has committed to Union (D1) for college hockey.

After this second period, Cunha told the team, “This is within your reach right now. You guys have to recognize that anything less than winning this period is not acceptable.”

Williston started the final period with 1:57 of power-play during which the Wildcats was unable to create good scoring chances. With 15:17 remaining in the period, Millbrook scored to take a two-goal lead.

In the remainder of the game, Williston was derailed by multiple off-sides calls, something that is very uncharacteristic of the team.

The game became more physical with retaliations in the second half of the final eighteen minutes. In total, twelve penalties were assessed in the game, which amount to just over twenty minutes.

With just seconds remaining in the game, senior forward Max Willman was hit from behind right in front of Williston’s penalty box. For this hit, the Millbrook senior John Nantais was given a game misconduct penalty, which means he will not be playing in the next game. Nantais recorded two assists in today’s game.

After the game, Cunha said to his players, “This is going to be kind of a wakeup call to you guys that we need to bring it every game the rest of the way for 54 minutes. We didn’t bring it for 54 minutes [today].

Millbrook Head Coach Vincent Sorriento said after the game, “We just played well, it was one of our better games of the year and we showed up and we played a good road game against a really good team. I was really happy we got [this] win.”

With this loss, Williston drops to 3-3-2 at home this season. On the road (including tournament games), the Wildcats are 7-5.

The Wildcats’ next game is on Wednesday, February 12^th against Canterbury at home. Williston defeated Canterbury 4-2 in the season opener back on November 23^rd, just before Thanksgiving break.

by Team Reporter-Nate Gordon

For just the second time this season, a Williston Boys Hockey (10-7-2) game went to overtime and ended in a tie. The Wildcats tied the Northfield Mt. Hermon Hoggers (16-6-2) 2-2 at home on Friday, February 7, 2014.

This game marked the return to the ice of senior defenseman and team Co-Captain Nick Staub, who has been away from the action with a groin injury. Staub’s last game was against Nobles on December 29^th, so he missed nine games.

About his return, Staub said after the game, “It feels great being back with the boys on the ice. Still a little bit of pain, but coach is doing a good job of spotting me, so I’m not like overexerting myself.”

However, Williston was without senior defenseman Seth Cupak who was serving a one-game suspension.

Senior forward Max Willman gave Williston a 1-0 lead just over four minutes into the game. This was Willman’s team-leading nineteenth goal of the season. It was assisted by junior forward Brandon Borges.

With 17.2 seconds remaining in the first period, Borges went to the box for slashing. With just four seconds to go, NMH tied the game at one when sophomore defenseman Jamie Dorsey scored his fourth goal of the season.

After the first eighteen minutes, Williston Head Coach Derek Cunha told his team, “That first, I’ll tell you, not our best, but a 1-1 period.

This was Williston’s first period of hockey since a 5-4 loss to Loomis-Chaffee on January 29^th. Cunha said, “That’s our first period in nine days, we got the rust off.”

There was no scoring in the second period, but both teams had opportunities to take the lead, but neither were able to capitalize. Just over five minutes into the period, an NMH player got a breakaway, but was unable to score. On the play, defenseman Staub was called for a hooking penalty, but the Hoggers did not convert on the power-play.

Before the third period, Cunha told his team, “We’ve got an eighteen-minute hockey game ahead of us right now. Win a period, win a hockey game.”

Just 1:34 into the third period, NMH took a 2-1 lead. The goal was scored by senior Christian Heidelberger—his fifth of the season.

Four minutes later, it appeared as if Williston has tied the game. Sophomore defenseman RJ Guardia took a shot from the blue line, which hit the post. One official pointed to the net signaling a goal had been scored. After the officials talked it over, they waved the goal off, deciding the puck had never crossed the goal-line.

Just moments later, the Wildcats actually tied the game. Junior forward Rourke Ferguson won a faceoff in the offensive zone. Senior Anthony Mantz picked the puck up and gave it back to Ferguson who was very close to the goal and scored. This was Ferguson’s fifth goal of the season.

After the game, Ferguson said, “[Guardia] was pretty [angry] he didn’t score it, but we bounced back pretty well and got the goal.”

In this third period, both teams had two power-plays and two penalty kills. With nine minutes remaining, Williston got a five-minute power-play when an NMH player was ejected from the game for a major penalty. The Wildcats were unable to take the lead on this man-advantage, so the game eventually went to overtime.

To start this five-minute extra-period, Williston had 29 seconds of penalty kill. After that, the Wildcats had two great scoring chances, but the game ended in a draw.

Williston senior goaltender Tim Nowacki kept Williston in the game, stopping 36 of 38 shots (.947%).

After the game, Cunha said to the team, “In terms of what we take from today’s game, we’re close, we’re close to where we want to be, just a little more to get there.

The team’s first overtime game was on December 4^th against Kimball Union—Williston’s home-opener. In that game, Williston scored four goals in the third period to send the game to overtime.

Tomorrow, the Wildcats will take on Millbrook (13-10-1) for their second of three straight home games. On Wednesday, January 22^nd, Williston lost to Millbrook 6-5. About tomorrow’s game, Cunha said to the team, “We drove two-plus hours to Millbrook a few weeks ago for them to send us back on the bus dejected, now we get to do the same to them in our building.”

by Team Reporter-Nate Gordon ’16

On Friday, February 7th, Williston Boys Hockey (10-7-1) will take on the Hoggers of Northfield Mt. Hermon (NMH) (16-6-1) at 4:30 p.m. This game will begin a three-game home stretch for the Wildcats in which they will also face Millbrook and Canterbury.

This game against NMH also marks the beginning of the final seven games of the regular season, four of which will be played at Williston’s Lossone Rink.

About the final stretch of the season, Williston Head Coach Derek Cunha says, “We have to keep it one game at a time, that’s been our motto, our philosophy. We can’t get ahead of ourselves, so we’re not worried about Saturday, we’re not worried about March, we’re just worried about NMH.”

The Wildcats’ last game, against Loomis-Chaffee on Wednesday, January 29th, ended in a 5-4 loss. Williston gave up three of those five goals in the second period. Senior defenseman Seth Cupak was also ejected from this game, so he will miss tomorrow’s game.

The Hoggers are currently on a four-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight games. Most recently, on February 1st, NMH defeated Vermont Academy 6-1. Williston defeated Vermont 4-1 on January 15th.

NMH’s leader in goals (16) and assists (24) is junior forward Ben Freeman. Freeman has committed to UCONN (D1) for college hockey.

About tomorrow’s game, Cunha says, “They’re a team that’s got a lot of confidence right now, they’ve beaten a lot of good teams recently. So for us, I think we need to compete with them right from the start tomorrow. We need to make sure we’re focusing on ourselves, making sure we’re making good passes, we’re transitioning with speed. And if we can do that, that may neutralize some of what they’ve been doing well.

by Team Reporter-Nate Gordon ’16

On Wednesday, February 4th, Williston Boys Hockey (10-7-1) will take on the Hoggers of Northfield Mt. Hermon (NMH) (16-6-1) at 4:30 p.m. This game will begin a three-game home stretch for the Wildcats in which they will also face Millbrook and Canterbury.

This game against NMH also marks the beginning of the final seven games of the regular season, four of which will be played at Williston’s Lossone Rink.

About the final stretch of the season, Williston Head Coach Derek Cunha says, “We have to keep it one game at a time, that’s been our motto, our philosophy. We can’t get ahead of ourselves, so we’re not worried about Saturday, we’re not worried about March, we’re just worried about NMH.”

The Wildcats’ last game, against Loomis-Chaffee on Wednesday, January 29th, ended in a 5-4 loss. Williston gave up three of those five goals in the second period. Senior defenseman Seth Cupak was also ejected from this game, so he will miss tomorrow’s game.

The Hoggers are currently on a four-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight games. Most recently, on February 1st, NMH defeated Vermont Academy 6-1. Williston defeated Vermont 4-1 on January 15th.

NMH’s leader in goals (16) and assists (22) is junior forward Ben Freeman. Freeman has committed to UCONN (D1) for college hockey.

About tomorrow’s game, Cunha says, “They’re a team that’s got a lot of confidence right now, they’ve beaten a lot of good teams recently. So for us, I think we need to compete with them right from the start tomorrow. We need to make sure we’re focusing on ourselves, making sure we’re making good passes, we’re transitioning with speed. And if we can do that, that may neutralize some of what they’ve been doing well.

Snow is in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, so a cancellation is always a possibility. To get the most up-to-date information on the game, check the team’s Twitter Account (@WillistonHockey). Assuming the game is played, game updates will be available via the team’s Twitter account.