Ice hockey takes season opener

By the end of the first period, it looked as if it were going to be a close game Sunday night for Nantucket's JV ice hockey team. Nantucket and visiting Abington were knotted at 1-1. Yet, by the end of the second period, things were decidedly different with Nantucket taking a commanding 4-1 lead, before ending the night with a 5-2 victory over Abington.

The squad is in its last year as a JV team and will play a 19-game "split season," five more games than last year, according to athletic director Chris Maury.

"We expect our team to do well this year. Yes, we will be facing about half of our schedule with varsity teams, but all in all it'll be good for them," said coach Jack Moran. "There will be some eyeopening competition no doubt. Facing the tougher opponents will only make them better. I am confident that this team will stand up to just about any team they face. It is nice to get a taste of things to come."

"The fact that we have 95 percent of last year's team returning is huge. They already know how each of them work," said Moran. "Combining that with their drive makes for a great combination. They're playing now like they did past the half-way point last year."

Nantucket struck 6:53 minutes into the first for the early lead on a shot by Tyler Nardone from an assist by Zach Moran. Abington answered a few minutes later to even the score. Freshman Christian Lombardi, a former outstanding soccer goalkeeper, was in goal for the Whalers. Nantucket opened the second 15-minute period on the power play. Abington had trouble keeping a full five-man line-up on the ice for much of the first five minutes until receiving a gift in exchange, a five to three man advantage. Nantucket was hit with a double penalty, a minor against Hunter Slade and a major three-minute stint in the box for Alex Perkins.

Nantucket put the penalty killer line of co-captain Taylor Thayer and Ethan Lockley and Zach Moran on the ice and they did their job, backed up by Lombardi. Unfortunately for Abington, one of their players ended up in the box with Perkins, making the lines even at 4-4. There was over a three-minute spread where neither team could muster a full line.

With 6:30 to go, Nantucket's other co-captain, Garry Caruso, snaked a shot past the keeper to put Nantucket up 2- 1. With three minutes to go Nantucket finally ended up with a power play of its own putting Perkins in perfect position to rebound a shot putting Nantucket up 3-1. Nantucket kept the action in the opponent's end to close out the second period. But, not before the whistle blew on an Abington foul giving Nantucket the advantage. Michael Howard made the most of it and scored for 4-1 with 18 seconds to go.

It was evident that Nantucket had the puck handling and passing skills to trump Abington in the third period, but neither team could again keep all five players on the ice. Midway through the period, senior goalie Casey Kurash took her place in the net for the remainder of the game. With 2:40 to go, Howard was poaching around the net when the goalie scooped up a puck behind the net and failed to clear it, giving Howard the easy flick into the net for 5-1. Nantucket played the last three minutes down two and then one man on the ice. Abington finally capitalized on the man advantage to score with 1:19 left. Kurash made some quality saves in the closing minutes to stop Abington from inching closer. Nantucket out-shot Abington 32 to 15.

"We accomplished more shots this time around, which was great and the team performed well in all aspects," Moran said. "Emphasis on shots was made prior to the game and they carried it out. Our corner work was very aggressive and controlling and we didn't have a lot of senseless turnovers either."

The team will next face Blue Hills Regional Tech School on Friday on Nantucket home ice at 5 p.m. before heading off island on Saturday to face off against a powerful Plymouth South High School at 3:30 p.m. I