Hockey
Hockey 'Cats sink Clippers in semi-final, 7-2
By Essie Powers
YORK - Two great things happened to the York High School hockey team last Saturday night.For the first time since last November, they appeared as a whole team and brought the entire roster to the Portland Ice Arena.
In a game that will be long-remembered by the hockey faithful, they went on to win the Western Maine Class B semi-final game by stomping the Yarmouth Clippers, 7-2. It is the first time in seven years that York has broken through the semi-final round to advance to the final game.
"This is a feeling like none other," said Senior Captain Ryan Clauson. "It has been a difficult year, and to be sitting in this position right now is just spectacular."
Clauson scored the first goal of the night from fellow Captain Kyle Banfield and Devin Zucker just seven minutes into his first game since Jan. 6.
In a season that weathered both illness and injury, the Wildcats had to mix and mingle lines constantly to accommodate a roster that had players missing in November, December, January and February. Finally, for their opening game of the playoffs on March 3, the team was complete again.
"It was really something to look around the locker room and see everybody there," said Matt Carey. "And we knew. We knew, they way we know each other, that we were not going to let Yarmouth win that game."
And they did not.
Clipper forward Jon Bubier, a league all-star who scored both of Yarmouth's only goals, gave his team a 2-1 lead in the second period, but it was short-lived. Wildcat Dan Powers took a shot from the point that was blocked by freshman goalie Ethan Gray. Jake Posternak flicked the rebound to the post and Paddy Murphy whacked the puck from midair right into the back of the net. It tied the game at two, and was the beginning of an all-out powerhouse period that led to six straight goals from the Wildcats.
York has been a heavily scouted team this year, and it became clear early on that the Yarmouth strategy was to play a physical game and double-team players on the breakout.
But the Wildcats were ready for the challenge and had the great advantage of using their full bench of players. Nick Richard played both offense and defense, Posternak played on two forward lines, regrouping with the hot mix of Murphy, David Figlioli and Jason Durkin.
At about the midway mark of the second, the Wildcats landed three goals in two-and-a-half minutes, including two in a row from junior forward Kevin Maran, who had a hat-trick on the night.
"Maran, Carey, and Graz could not be stopped tonight," said Coach Jim Powers. "They ground up everybody in their path."
Andy Ohlson made it 5-2, York, with his goal from the left slot on assists from Kal Decato and Zucker. Ohlson, Decato, Powers and Chris Meehean had the defense locked down tight, playing a nearly flawless game and holding Yarmouth to a stunning nine shots for the night.
Andrew Loane, in net for the Wildcats, never let Yarmouth get close.
The Clippers were simply unable to contain the offensive pace that York was running. The 'Cats enjoyed repeated sequences of unbroken possession inside the blue line for almost two minutes at a stretch. Posternak, whose stick is rapier-quick around the crease, scored in the third from Richard and Graziano. Maran got his third from Graziano, who had two assists, and Carey, who had three.
Powers, Clauson and Meehean held off Yarmouth in their final attempts during a five-on-three advantage in the falling minutes of the game and played the fence so strongly the Clippers were unable to get off a shot.
Tim Murdough and Dom Ferrande kept the Wildcat attack coming until the buzzer sounded for the win.
The 'Cats were scheduled to play in the Western Maine final at press time Tuesday night, March 6. See next week's edition of The Independent for all the details.
