A game that did not have much pace for two periods turned into a track meet for the final eighteen minutes on Saturday afternoon at the Rivers School. Ryan Bell scored the eventual game winning goal for Rivers early in the third period. Groton made a late push, but Rivers was able to hold on for a 4-3 win.
Matthew Cormier scored 1:33 into the game after receiving a pass right in the slot where he was able to walk right in and beat Groton goalie Tristan Mecenas to give Rivers a 1-0 lead. Rivers had a point blank chance shorthanded with less than twenty seconds to go in the first period, but Mecenas was able to flash his left pad to go into the intermission down 1-0. William Conway scored fifty-five seconds into the 2nd period to give Rivers a 2-0 lead after a puck ended up on his stick off of a Groton players blocked shot. Rivers goalie Casen Janko was not overly challenged in the first two periods, but made the saves he had to.
Groton sophomore forward, Marc Borghi, got Groton on the board with just 11 seconds into the final period when he received a pass coming through the neutral zone after a Rivers turnover, attacked over the blue line and beat Janko with a shot low to the glove side. One minute and twelve seconds later Rivers responded when Thomas Miller won a 1v1 battle on the left wall and threw the puck to the net that beat Mecenas over his shoulder to extend the lead 3-1. Twenty-three seconds later, Groton forward Andrew Burke blocked a shot and got behind the Rivers defensemen for a breakaway where he snapped one over Janko’s glove to cut the Rivers lead to 3-2. Fifty seconds later, Groton and Rivers were playing four on four hockey. Rivers won a battle in the defensive zone which turned into a three on two. Defenseman, Ryan Bell, activated as trailer and received a pass from Philip Tresca and was able to beat Mecenas to give Rivers a 4-2 lead with 15:24 to go in regulation. Groton showed no signs of letting up when William Torriani scored on a power play off a one timer with 8:20 remaining in regulation to cut the Rivers lead to 4-3. Groton made a push in the final minutes, but Rivers was able to hold on for a key Eberhardt win.
Three Stars of the Game:
1st Star: Ryan Bell, Rivers
2nd Star: Andrew Burke, Groton
3rd Star: Matthew Cormier, Rivers
NZ’s Take:
Rivers Defenseman and BU Commit Cade Webber did not play due to injury. Brown commit, Antonio Andreozzi, was excellent today. He makes a lot happen with his feet and makes a good hard first pass. Newcomer, Colman Nee, has very good puck skills and skating. Look for him to make an impact for Rivers as he continues to adjust to Prep hockey.
Groton goalie Tristan Mecenas made thirty-two saves on thirty-six shots tonight. Senior forward, Jonah Gold, was all over pucks today and has a good pace to his game. Defenseman, Thomas Dempsey, plays a ton of minutes for Groton and looks to be a good young college hockey prospect.
