Squirt Minors Weekend Report
The Clippers' Squirt Minor team played its final three games of the
regular season. They played a cross conference game with the CT LaZers
and a home-and-home series with NEEHL foe New Hampshire Avalanche.Thursday evening (March 9) the Squirts hosted the CT LaZers. This was the third time that they played this MBHL opponent, with the Clippers' taking the first two in Simsbury. Both teams left their defensive skills in the car as each offense appeared to score at will. Each team made scoring runs of 2-3 goals which were quickly answered by the other team. After the final horn, the score was tied at 7-7. The "ATA" line (Adam Shea, Taggart Corriveau and Adam Aresco) for the Clippers' tallied thirteen points in the game. Shea lead the charge with four goals and one assist. Both Aresco and Corriveau each scored one goal and added three assists. Nick Waznia added a goal, assisted by Christian DiDonato and Nick Adamsons.
On Saturday, March 11, the NEEHL leading New Hampshire Avalanche visited Champions. They skated like conference leaders, posting a loud 9-3 victory over the Clippers' Squirt Minors. The Clippers' skated stride-for-stride with the Avalanche in the first period, scoring the first goal. But when the visitors eventually took the lead, the home team seemed to deflate as the Avalanche quickly forced their will on the Clippers. Taggart Corriveau scored twice and Evan Sliker once for the Clippers. Adam Shea, Matt Bucher, Adam Aresco and Will Lindlauf added assists in the one-sided affair.
The next morning the Clippers had to travel to the Ice Den, to face the Avalanche once again. This time the Clippers' squad came out with a vengeance, looking to atone for their easily forgettable performance one day earlier. The Squirt Minors strong effort caught the Avalanche off guard. The Clippers were beating the Avalanche skaters to the puck, keeping the pressure on the home team's defense and goaltending. Once again, the "ATA" line led the scoring. Adam Shea and Taggart Corriveau each scored one goal and an assist. Adam Aresco also assisted on the Shea goal. Matt Trevethan scored the third Clipper goal when he broke up an Avalanche rush at the blue line. He then chased down the puck in the neutral zone, muscled his way past two defenders and fired a wrist shot over the Avalanche goaltender's blocker. His individual effort epitomized each Clippers skater's play throughout this game. Once the Avalanche was able to score a goal in the third period, they started to pick up their own level of play. However, the Clippers' strong defense held the Avalanche back. Clippers' goaltender Al Rogers also bounced back from the day before, making one brilliant save after another. The Clippers left New Hampshire with a hard fought 3-1 victory.
Next up for the Clippers Squirt Minors is the NEEHL tournament this upcoming weekend at the Olympia in Springfield. The third ranked Clippers take on the second ranked New England Moose. The Clippers have given the Moose three of their four losses in conference play. This could be a special weekend of hockey for the Squirt Minors.
Article written by Karl Adamsons.
