Senior, Brett Branscum and his line were clicking on all cylinders against Bow. Branscum had a hat-trick plus an assist. (Photo by L. McCuaig)

After losing a league game for the first time since before Christmas, everyone was wondering exactly how the Goffstown Grizzlies team would respond in their next game. Many folks in town hoped that the loss out at Kingswood on Saturday night would be a good learning experience for the team and serve as an in-season opportunity to self-correct their course.

The starting five skaters for home battle with defending champs, the Bow Falcons. (Photo by Charron)

As it turned out, Goffstown played their 8th and final game of January against the Bow Falcons. Goffstown played Bow in the Christmas Hockey Classic and beat the Falcons, 6-2.

The Grizzlies swarm to defend Madeline Sage in net. (Photo by Charron)

Bow was swept by Windham last week, 8-0, and 4-2, and they were playing tonight’s game without career 100-point scorer Ryan Tobeler. Goffstown was looking to improve in their own end and not overlook any opponent, especially a team they had already beaten 5 weeks ago.

It was apparent early and often that Goffstown was focused on the task at hand tonight. The Grizzlies scored 6 goals in the opening period, and their playmaking was spot on. Pass after pass to open players, setting up goals. The Grizzlies ended up earning 15 assists on the evening while skating to a 10-2 win against the Bow Falcons.

The first period was an exhibition of passing put on by the Grizzlies. 1:15 into the game Brett Branscum scored his first of three goals in the period, with consecutive passes from Theo Milianes and a gorgeous feed from Evan McCuaig. Then at 3:33 Brett Lassonde and Griffin Cook set up Noah Charron to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.

Michael Fortin (goal) and Brett Lassonde (2 assists) were all over the Falcons tonight. (Photo by Charron)

Michael Fortin scored at 6:35 when he and Griffin Cook broke into the zone and Cook fed a gorgeous pass across the slot to Fortin who could have skated with the puck into the open side of the net. Eric DesRuisseaux got the first assist when he dug the puck off of the end boards and passed up the wing to Cook. Then in a 3-minute span, Brett Branscum scored a pair of goals on beautiful passing plays. Brett Lassonde circled the offensive zone with the puck before dishing the puck to Theo Milianes who also assisted on the second goal for Branscum. Then it was Milianes and Luke Chase playing catch with the puck before setting up the hattie goal for Branscum. Tremendous puck movement throughout. With the Grizzlies shorthanded finishing the first period, Noah Charron found himself in all alone with the puck dangling like his own personal yo-yo. Charron made a quick move, or seven, on Jason Howe in net for the Falcons, but his one on none breakaway ended up missing wide right. Seconds later, Sebastian Beal demonstrated for the captain just how it’s done. After Brett Lassonde broke up the Falcons break he left the puck for Colin Burke who turned up ice and made a perfect lead pass to Beal who collected the puck, broke in alone, and rifled a shot up under the crossbar where Grandma hides the Christmas candy for the shortie.

Sebastian Beal finishes off a shorthanded goal over Jason Howe of Bow. (Photo by Charron)

Bow did score on that power play opportunity at 14:53 of the period, Aiden Roy from Devin Perry, to finish the period at 6-1 in favor of Goffstown. The Grizzlies held a 16-6 advantage in shots, despite fighting through two separate 5-on-3 disadvantages. Madeline Sage made a couple of key saves to keep off of the scoreboard, allowing Goffstown to build the early lead.

The second period started with Grady Chretien (celebrating his birthday) scoring a nice goal that was set up by Theo Milianes and Brett Branscum at 1:43. Bow would answer quickly though as they got their 2nd goal after a nice rush, with speed, and Corey Shore beat Madeline Sage to the far side post, from Reece Protzmann at 1:59. Goffstown led 7-2, and there was a lot of game left to play. Noah Charron scored his second goal of the night when he took a Sebastian Beal give and go pass after Charron had retrieved Griffin Cook’s shot attempt that had drifted wide. Charron lifted his shot up and over Howe in goal as he skated in from the left wing circle.

Noah Charron knew just Howe far to reach the back of the net. (Photo by Charron)

Griffin Cook capped off the second period scoring at 6:39 after the Grizzlies had converged on the offensive end like a lead blanket covering every inch of the ice. Several Grizzlies made plays to possess the puck before Max Lajeunesse retrieved a shot from Colin Burke that hit the end boards, got the puck to Cook who circled, shot, got his rebound and scored. Goffstown dominated in shots 17-3 in the period.

With running time in the third period there was little time to pause. However, there was enough time for Luke Chase to score his first career goal, on a rebound from a Brett Lassonde shot at 5:04 (or thereabouts). Sean Hunter had the first assist on the goal as he helped set up the shot by Lassonde. Goffstown took 6 minor penalties in the contest but were able to kill off 5 of 6 and keep the Falcons at bay. Other than the lonesome wandering defenseman on an impromptu walkabout through the offensive zone and being caught up ice a time or too many for my liking, the Grizzlies played a sound game of hockey over the entire 200 foot sheet of ice.

Theo Milianes had a huge game against the Falcons, with 4 assists. (Photo by Charron)

I know this game was probably over early and not deemed as the most competitive of affairs, I want to point out something that I made note of during the game. There were three different times, once in each period, where those of us down along the ice level all reacted in astonished admiration of the opponent. Bow’s goaltender, Jason Howe, who won’t get many accolades from a 10-2 defeat, made 3 saves that I noted with stars on my notepad. In the first period he outright robbed Max Lajeunesse on a shorthanded bid with a right skate save that was pure gold. In the second period Howe somehow got over to get a piece of a one-timer off of the stick of Sebastian Beal who had been set up on a fantastic feed from Noah Charron. Finally, in the third period, Howe made a brilliant save on Calvin Sage after Theo Milianes had threaded the needle with a splendid pass through the slot. Howe made 30 saves on the night for the Falcons.

Grizzlies gather to defend their home ice against the Bow Falcons. (Photo by Charron)

Goffstown returns to home ice on Saturday for a matinee with the Bobcats from Oyster River at 1:45pm. Oyster River beat the Grizzlies 4-2 back on December 18 at the Whittemore Center. See you at the rink.

The eyes have it. Maddie Sage, locked in. (Photo by Charron)

NHIAA Hockey:

Updated records.

Goffstown (10-2) vs. Bow (3-10)

Sullivan Arena, St. Anselm College, Goffstown, NH
January 31, 2018. 7:15PM Start: