LOST DOESN'T EQUAL DEFEAT

On Sunday, the Wolverine B Hockey team traveled to Burlington, VT to take on Saint Michael's College JV. Due to injuries, the Wolverines dressed only 9 forwards and 4 defensemen. However, with the low numbers and tired legs the Wolverines played one of their best all-around games of the season. "Coach Meserve and Coach Travis have done an outstanding job teaching us how to play systems, battle for every puck and always, always move our feet" said Captain Todd Brow(Winslow, ME/Winslow High). Meserve added, "Each practice is set up to work on something specific. As a coaching staff we assess what our teams needs are and plan the practice accordingly."

BA and St. Mike's played two 25 minute periods.

The first 15 minutes of period one saw BA put 15 shots on net, while St Mike's only managed 5. "Our conditioning really helped us carry the play. Coach Meserve wants us to get the puck down low and outwork the other teams" said Forward Ryan Dooley(Topsfield, MA/Masco High). St Mike's scored the first goal of the game when a defenseman blasted a shot top corner past a screened Jesse Little(Freedom, ME/Winslow, High). Down, but not out, Bridgton went on the power play and hammer shots on the St Mike's goalie. Finally, Dooley working on the left half wall, slide a pass up to defenseman Shawn Kenney(Braintree, MA/Braintree High). Kenney walked right about ten feet and blasted a slap shot on net. Brow redirected the shot past the St Mike's goalie. Brow was holding off two St Mike's players and still got a stick on the puck. The game went back and forth, with St Mike's scoring two goals in the last 10 minutes, including a Power Play Goal to take a 3-1 lead.

The second half, the exhausted Wolverines battled and battled over and over. BA outshot St Mike's 18-16 in the second period. BA was forced to go to a trap due the tired legs. Even though they were forced to play passive at times, BA used their trap to counter attack off neutral zone turnovers. Kenney made a highlight reel hit along the boards when a St Mike's players tried to sneak past him. "We allowed St Mike's to attack the neutral zone and gave them two choices, dump the puck or get punished. I was real proud how well we played, our 4 defensemen were warriors along the boards and our forwards played both intelligent and aggressive all game" said Meserve. Neither St Mike's or BA could score in the second period and the game ended with a 3-1 loss. Little turned aside 38 shots in the loss, while BA pumped 37 shots on the St Mike's keeper.

The Wolverine B Team will take on the Maine Wave U-18 AAA at Bridgton Ice Arena Tuesday, November 9th, 700pm.