NSA vs New England Stars

Mattia Laudi

National Sports Academy vs New England Stars

LAKE PLACID – National Sports Academy and New England Stars are facing each other in the 1932 rink for the conference final and right to access to the McCarthy Cup and Nielsen Cup at the Stoneham Arena, Massachusetts, April 16-18.

When the puck is dropped at 8:00 pm for the first game of this conference final, the game suddenly started out to be really physical and fast, where the teams try to make pressure on each other dumping the puck deep in the offensive zone and make forecheking.

After roughly ten minutes the good work done by the Stars pays off, and when Kevin Valenti is sent to the penalty box for hooking a good power play is executed by Costa and Bowen that work the puck to serve Vincent Lariviere that nets the first goal of the game.

The second period starts really positive for the host team; after just one minute and a half number 24 Sean Duncan is assisted by Powers and Pandolfo to make it 2-0 New England.

NSA seems to be dazed by the hard beginning of period by their opponents; apparently incapable of a strong response to the Stars’ action at 11:39 of the second period, the Mountaineers are caught with six men on the ice and Eric Halin is sent to the penalty box. When just 25 seconds are missing to the end of the penalty another power play goal for the Stars adds on the scoreboard; Conley and McCullough serve Sean Duncan that scores again. It’s 3-0 for the Stars.

At 17:05 in the third period Kevin Valenti gives some hope the NSA scoring a power play goal assisted by Dednoyers and Stein.

Unfortunately the New England Stars create a good defensive asset, with a great job done by their goalie Shayne Forsley, that saves 30 shots over 31 received, and the game ends with a

3-1 for New England.

Saturday at 3:00 pm in the 1932 rink, Lake Placid, the NSA is ready to battle the New England Stars for a comeback in the series lead by the host for 1-0.

The game begins with the two teams that play a little cautious paying attention not to make mistakes, dumping the puck deep and short shifts.

At 9:38 first period Quinn Carroll opens up the scoring netting a wrister assisted by Bowen.

This time NSA is ready to counterattack and after four minutes Patrick Hayes, with great wheels on the left side scores the first NSA goal of the day with a quick release under the crossbar, assisted by White and Clarke.

The second period was tied as well. After one minute from the puck drop Zach Dymock enters the zone assisted by White and shots a good wrister, hard for the goalie to see. But just at 17:39 New England ties the game with a nice move by Brian Bowen, that fakes the shot, letting Jakob Rasmussen go down and then going around him and netting the puck on the short side with an open cage. The game now is tied 2-2.

At 12:15 NSA takes again control of the game with number 19 Marcus Astesana that with a helper from Hayes and Patraw scores from the slot with a blameless goalie.

When Zach Dymock and Derek Nutter go in the penalty box, respectively at 4:58 and 4:52, both for cross-cheking, the teams play with four player each on the ice.

With more room and more time New England’s game is rewarded when Vincent Lariviere scores the game-tieing goal just four minutes before the break.

The third period is played carefully by both teams. Just one power play is allowed by the Stars at 6:20.

This is NSA’s period. With great energy and speed they put under pressure the Stars’s defense and score the two final goals.

At 12:34 Zach White scores assisted by Hayes and Dymock and the Mountaineers take the lead. At 3:53 Desnoyers reinforces NSA’s domain on the opponent scoring with a wrister from the circles assisted by Widenmaier and Clarke.

It’s a 5-3 game and and the decision for the winner is postponed to Sunday 11.

At 1932 rink is the third and final game to decide who is the New England Conference’s champion.

The game starts strong. The teams play equally for the first 15 minutes of the first period, but at 5:52 White scores assisted by Hayes and it’s Mountaineers’ lead. After just one minute and a half Valenti scores the the second for the home team helped by Widenmaier and Clarke, and it’s 2-0.

Unfortunately at 0:04 to the end Sean Duncan halves NSA lead with an unassisted goal.

From now on it’s an NSA game. Pat Hayes scores at 13:18 in the secon period thanks to a nice tic-tac-toe with Desnoyers and Halin.

In the third period Astensana only goes on the scoreboard when at 1:47 to the end scores a short handed goal assisted by Halin that closes the game definetly.

It’s a 4-1 game and NSA wins the series. The championship game will be played in Boston at the Stoneham arena March 16-17-18 againt the Syracuse Stampede.