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Nashoba Bantam AAA
The Nashoba Grizzlies feast on Sharks 3-0. The Nashoba Grizzlies Bantam AAA team shutout the Worcester Jr Sharks 3-0 Saturday at Lawrence Academy in Groton. Goals were scored by center Liam Fisher, right winger Sean Mizzoni, and defenseman Joe Cornetta. It was arguably the Grizzlies best game of the season putting in a full three periods of hard work and smart play. Once again the victory was anchored by a strong game in net by Ben Canfield. The Grizzlies have been playing short-handed as of late awaiting a new call up to the team and Saturday was no exception. Competing with only 9 skaters, Nashoba was still able to shut down the Sharks playing with three defenseman. Strong performances from Nolan Ratte, Joe Cornetta, and Matt Gould were instrumental as all three logged lots of ice time. Keeping cool and calm tempers throughout out the game, the Grizzlies played smart and mostly stayed out of the box understanding that they did not have the extra bodies.
Flight of Hawks outpace Grizzlies The second of a two game weekend for the Nashoba Bantam AAA’s saw the Grizzlies fall to the Greater Lowell Hawks 6-4 on Sunday The Hawks came out with a pace to the game that seemed to catch the Grizzlies off guard and had them rattled and on their heels early. Roger Carter filling in for the Missing Ben Canfield kept the Grizzlies in it from the start with strong play between the pipes. Still, the Hawks took the early lead and had Nashoba playing from behind for much of the game. Settling down part way through the first period the Grizzlies regrouped and found their footing. As the game wore on the Grizzlies were incredibly opportunistic, making the most of their chances by scoring on their very first two shots on net. Once again the Grizzlies were playing with only nine players but luckily so were the Greater Lowell Hawks for this game. Early in the game Joe Cornetta blocked a shot from the point off his ankle and played the remainder of the game hobbled which made the shorthanded situation worse. Jeff Brake was ready to drop back from right wing to play some shifts on defense if needed. Early in the third period the Grizzlies had battled all the way back to a 4-4 tie with the Hawks. It was a gritty performance by the Nashoba Bantams as the game turned more physical. However the performance could not be sustained once Danny Cornetta was called for a hit from behind requiring two players to sit out in the penalty box. The further reduction in players was too much to take and the Grizzlies gave way to a fifth and leading goal by the Hawks. Gassed and on their last legs the Grizzlies battled on and pulled their goalie leading to three offensive zone face-offs with an extra man. Ultimately it was not meant to be as Nashoba was unsuccessful. Their fate was sealed when Greater Lowell hit an empty net to take a 6-4 lead with just over a minute to go. That was where the score would remain. The Grizzlies scoring contributions were from Liam Fisher, Sean Mizzoni, Jeff Brake, and Ryan O’regan all of whom, including the rest of the team, gave everything they had until the final tick off the clock.
Nashoba U10 Girls
The Girls U10 team had a tough match-up against Melrose resulting in an 11-3 loss. The Grizzlies were the first on the scoreboard early in the first period with a sweet shot into the net by Jocelyn Sylva. Yet despite the best efforts of forwards Alice Homer, Belle Field, Callie Haggan and Kelly Paquet, Melrose dominated the first two periods of play and held the Grizzlies to that 1 goal while they scored 8. Defensive players Sylva, Zoe Musante, Emma Boylen, Fiona Daly and newcomer Carly Watson, as well as goalie Mackenzie Donoghue, had a difficult time fending off Melrose’s strong and experienced offense. But the third period saw the Grizzlies hitting the ice with purpose and determination. They skated aggressively, played hard, and worked together as a team to go head-to-head against the unsuspecting Melrose team. Watson came up strong with an assist to Musante, who took the puck up the ice and blasted a shot past the goalie. Watson then scored her first career goal, unassisted. The Grizzlies take on Winchester U10 on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. at Nashoba Valley Olympia.
Nashoba U14 Girls
Nashoba U14 Girls shut out Andover 3-0, their next game is Saturday, November 21st against Winchester.
Nashoba Squirt A
The Grizzlies beat Wakefield in a close 7-6 Victory. Matthew Loyall started the action for Nashoba with his first assist of the season to Ronan McGowan. McGowan stayed in the action with an assist to Kieran Humpfreys minutes later. Wakefield poked one in half way through the period. Ethan Koehr was determined to have one with an unassisted full ice drive from defense to end the period 3-1. In the second period, Wakefield fought back with 3 goals. Stephen Reedy made a perfect pass to setup Owen Boyer for a slap shot at goal. Charles Becker kept the pressure on offensively. Game tied 4-4. In the final period, McGowan assisted Humpfreys for the second time, to take the lead. Wakefield scores to tie. Minutes later; Humpfreys with a slap shot, scored his third goal of the game, earning him a hat trick, assisted by Koehr. Again, Wakefield ties it up 6-6. It was a back-and-forth battle for the win in the final minutes. With 55 seconds in the game, Reedy assisted Boyer in a breakaway. Boyer was able to deliver an exciting goal winner with both the puck and himself in the goal. Murphy MacLeod was a force in net with 28 saves, stopping many breakaways and slap shots. Securing the win on defense were Jack Borges and Damian DiNitto.
Nashoba Squirt AAA
Nashoba Grizzlies beat Peabody 5-2. The Grizzlies got out to a fast start Sunday morning, with the first line scoring quickly.  Will Gaynor scores top corner assisted by center Ben Solari and winger Cam Daly at 11:22 of the first period.  Matty Mulhern kept the momentum going by stealing the puck at the red line and speeding by the Peabody defensemen and rifling a shot by the goalie 2-0 Grizzlies!  Nashoba kept the pressure on the Peabody goalie throughout the first period.  Wingers Jack Nelken and Ben Logan did a great job clearing the puck from the Nashoba zone, while Nate Mucci and Daniel Son pinched in at the offensive blue line keeping the pressure on Peabody.  With 2 minutes to go in the first period, defenseman Daniel Son shot the puck from the point and Gaynor with his back to the goalie redirected the puck through his legs and into the net!  3-0 Nashoba. The second period settled down a bit with Peabody getting a goal back to narrow the Grizzlies lead to two.  But a minute later Jack Funaro feeds the puck to Gaynor who sets up a wide open Drew Kapetanakis in front of the net 4-1 Nashoba.  Nashoba on the powerplay keeps the scoring going when JJ Funaro ripped a wrist shot from the point that Tyler Frazee tipped in for the goal.  The second period ended 5-1 Nashoba.  The third period was quiet for the Nashoba offense, but with outstanding goal tending by Jon Doherty, Final 5-2.
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Nashoba Pee Wee A
The Nashoba Pee Wee A team dropped a 9-5 decision to Marblehead on Sunday. Alex D’Amato and Jack Rechtsteiner paced Nashoba with 2 goals each while Jake Power added a goal. Alex Joos played well in goal turning away 31 of 40 shots. Jared Simas, Wilson Homer, Jack Reimer, Dean Blake, and Kailas Balasubramanyam, Colin Hoar, and On defense, Adam Prato, Nolan Marcoux, Connor Hoague, Koree Benning, Henry Wengal, and Aidan Brady played well to protect the goal.
Nashoba Pee Wee AA
Nashoba’s Peewee AA added another game to the win column with a 4-0 shutout against the Outlaws Peewee AA. Tending net with her 3rd shutout of the season was Allie Kingsley, stopping 13 opponent shots. Scoring the Grizzlies’ first goal was center Kailen Richards at 0:26 in the first period assisted by Nathan Ely. Our second goal, unassisted, came from Justin Liona after a breakaway from center ice. Liona poked his second and Nashoba’s third out of the scrum and with an assist from Kyle Doney with just 6 seconds left in the 2nd period. Nashoba’s final goal came at 5:59 in the third period unassisted from Dominic Marshall. There was solid offense play from Pete Bonenfant, Matty Haggan and Scotty McCabe and our defensive lines of Meghan Mulhern, Gannon Connolly and Will Donovan who all fed our goal scorers.
Nashoba Pee Wee AAA
The Grizzlies edge out Winthrop 6-5 on Sunday, Next game is Sunday, November 22nd against North Andover.
