Goals and wins have been elusive this winter for the Cheverus/Yarmouth boys’ hockey team.
Thursday afternoon at Troubh Ice Arena, Cheverus/Yarmouth only managed to put the puck in the net once. But it was enough to produce the team’s first victory of the season.
Ryan Franceschi scored with 3:32 remaining and senior goalie Neal McQuarrie made 16 saves in a 1-0 victory over Gorham.
“We needed a ‘W’ tonight,” said Cheverus/Yarmouth Coach Dave St. Pierre. “Gorham is a great team. What I’m most proud of is that guys didn’t quit. They came together and kept working hard.”
Both goalies stood tall in a scoreless first period, as Gorham’s Jasper Crane (29 saves) denied Ben Moll early, then twice robbed Cam O’Donnell late, while McQuarrie stopped back-to-back bids from Cole Allen and Emmit Sullivan, then stonewalled Corliss Ordway’s shot after a turnover.
The stalemate continued in the second period, as both teams went 0 for 2 on the power play.
Cheverus/Yarmouth (1-2-1) got great looks on its first power play, but Crane saved shots from Andrew Cheever, Moll and Truman Peters.
The Rams (3-4) didn’t muster a shot on their first power play, but then while short-handed, Sullivan and Andrew Gaudreau had excellent chances that were denied by McQuarrie.
“Neal played a great game tonight in net,” said St. Pierre. “He’s done a great job getting better.”
Later in the period, Crane robbed Brian Connolly on the doorstep, and McQuarrie made a key save on an Ordway bid. In the final minute, Ethan St. Pierre had a shot saved by Crane on a rush, then McQuarrie frustrated Ordway one more time.
After Cheverus/Yarmouth failed to convert another power-play opportunity in the third, Cheverus/Yarmouth finally broke through. Quinn McCoy skated up ice, then passed to Peters, who fed Franceschi for the winner.
“My goal wasn’t great, but it went in,” said Franceschi. “Me and (Truman) went down 2-on-1 and I got the lucky shot that went off (Crane’s) skate and in.”
“It was a good rush up ice and it was ‘puck-luck,’ I guess,” said St. Pierre.
Gorham didn’t manage another shot on net and Cheverus/Yarmouth was finally in the win column.
“We knew we needed this one today,” said Franceschi. “We want to win our next game and get back to .500.”
Gorham Coach Shawn Sullivan believes better days are ahead for his team, which has lost four in a row after opening with three wins.
“We try to stress that we can stay with the top teams,” said Sullivan. “We have some good offensive players, but credit to (Cheverus/Yarmouth). They played hard and they have a really good goalie over there.
“We’ll keep working at it and it’ll come.”
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