Westfield Jr. Bombers 16, Ludlow White – 6
December 8th, Amelia Park Ice Arena
Division: Mite 2
An early game proved to be the Jr. Bombers best time to play with a game full of hard skating, passing, assists and scoring. The Ludlow White team came out strong with a one-for-one scoring match, keeping net minder Ryan Major on guard until the Jr. Bombers found their stride. Brody Fitzgerald scored twice, and teammates Jax Grady (5 goals), Cody Collins (4 goals) and Hunter Stockseth (3 goals) all had hat tricks. The team played well – passing down ice, playing defense and keeping the action in the Ludlow zone. Cameron Gainley was able to capitalize on the team’s passing and grabbed a nice cross ice pass to tap it in by the goalie, and Jacob Jarrell was able to fire off a nice shot off a rebound for a goal.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 6, Springfield Rifles 1
December 8th, Olympia Ice Arena
Division: Mite 2
Westfield Mite 2 took on the Springfield Rifles Minor team in an independent matchup Saturday night on the Rifles home ice. This full ice game let the Jr. Bombers stretch their legs and show their speed with nice breakaway shots from Cody Collins (2 goals) and Jacob Jarrell (1). The quick Rifles’ goalie wasn’t enough to keep the Jr. Bombers at bay – Jax Grady (2 goals) and Hunter Stockseth (1) were quick to get off shots. Katie Collins, Brayden Czarnecki and Aaron Hooben, kept the Rifles attacks to a minimum by keeping the defensive pressure to the far side of the blue line and fending off two power play assaults, while Ryan Major guarded the net. Gwenn Hosmer, Brody Fitzgerald and Olivia Lawry kept the play in the offensive zone, including a nice shot by Olivia Lawry that went wide to ring the pipe.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 13, Ludlow Red 13
December 9th, Smead Ice Arena
Division: Mite 2
Although the Jr. Bombers led most of the game, Ludlow was able to make a comeback in the last period of the game to tie it up. The Jr. Bombers played strong as a team, exhibited through the passing game of Jacob Jarrell, Cody Collins and Gwenn Hosmer to assist their teammate Brody Fitzgerald (3 goals) to a hat trick. Brendon Morse (1 goal) was also able to find the back of the net, as was Jacob Jarrell (1), Jax Grady (1), Hunter Stockseth (3) and Cody Collins (4). This game was a battle for the Jr. Bombers – they played hard and can be proud of their efforts.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 5, Amherst 9
December 8th, Lossone Rink
Division: Mite 1
Westfield Mite 1 suffered a tough loss on Saturday, battling against Amherst. Amherst scored first and Westfield answered with a goal from Gage Sperlonga. Amherst scored two more before Ethan Porter put in a hard shot off a great pass from Sperlonga. Colin Foyle scored next for Westfield to tie the game at 3. It was a short-lived tie, as Amherst came back to score five more in quick succession. Sperlonga responded with a goal on an assist from Andrew Morris, and then a third for his hat trick. Westfield fought hard and Bryce Russ played a great game in goal, but in the end, they just couldn’t catch up.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 2, Pioneer Valley 2
December 8th, Amelia Park Ice Arena
Division: Squirt 2
The Bombers ran into a PV Lightning team that was determined to notch their first victory of the season. From the initial face off it was a defensive battle from both teams with outstanding defense and goaltending. For most of the first period, the Bombers kept constant pressure on the Lightning’s end but just could not get the biscuit to cross the crease. The first goal of the game and first two periods overall was scored at 6:03 left in the first by PV. The third period began the same way with both sides skating hard but nothing to show for it on the board. At 6:05 left in the game, Bobby Miele tied the score off his own rebound firing up the Bombers. PV then scored with less than two minutes left on a power play. That was the way it seemed it would end but the tenacious play by the Bombers overcame the overzealous play of the Lightning when Alex LaCourse tied it up with only 54 seconds left in the game. Evan Iglesias assisted on the edge-of-the-seat goal by Alex. Once again, Brian Daly was his usual steady self in goal stifling the Lightning.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 6, Brattleboro 3
December 9th, Brattleboro, VT
Division: Squirt 2
The young Bombers gave their coaches an early holiday present by beating a tough Brattleboro team on their home ice. Westfield opened the scoring at the 11:05 mark in the first period after a fine outlet pass from Tommy Whalley to Joey DiGennaro for a breakaway. Joey put one through the pipes on his own rebound. Exactly three minutes later, Daniel Bennett would score on a rebound of his own from an assist by Brandon Powell. That is the way the first period ended with the Bombers holding a 2-0 lead. Brattleboro cut the lead in half on a tip-in at 10:50 to make it 2-1. They then tied the score one minute later. That is when the Bombers Matt McMahon showed off his playmaking skills by assisting on the next four unanswered Westfield goals. A budding, great line was showcased on the four goals. The first goal was scored by Evan Iglesias from Matt’s first assist. Tommy then scored the first of his two goals on McMahon’s second assist. Iglesias showed he was not done yet when he lit the lamp for his second goal of the period to close the scoring of the second period with Westfield up 5-2. In the third period, the Bombers took a convincing 6-2 lead at 5:51 when Tommy notched his second goal of the game on a tip-in from Matt’s fourth consecutive assist. Brattleboro closed out the scoring on a tip-in that just got by Westfield’s outstanding goalie Brian Daly. It was later revealed that Daley was quite under the weather, but gutted it out to keep the Bombers’ undefeated season streak alive.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 3, Eastern Conn. Hockey Org (ECHO) 3
December 8th, Bolton Ice Palace (CT)
Division: Peewee 1
Alex Beauchemin capitalized on his linemate’s hard work, slamming home a rebound with 2:07 remaining in the game to earn the Jr. Bombers a 3-3 tie with the ECHO Stars. Beauchemin’s second goal of the game came following tenacious forechecking by Nik Cherpurin, who battled a defender, stole the puck and fired on net. The ECHO goalie made a solid save, but Beauchemin was in the right place at the right time to slam home the rebound. “That line really clicked today”, said coach Tom Roskey. “Justin (Oski), Nik, and Alex really put the pressure on all game long and created chances to score.” ECHO got on the board first, but Chepurin responded with 2:32 left in the first. Oski and Beauchemin earned assists. Andrew Crowl scored on a great feed from Kyle Desio, but the Jr. Bombers continued to work for chances. Defenseman Matt Pelletier rushed the puck into the ECHO zone, fed Scott Bussell who fired on net. Joe Czernecki chipped in the rebound and the game was tied at 2 after two periods. ECHO responded with a goal by Luke Slater mid-way through the third, setting up the dramatic final goal. Matt Brady was steady between the pipes for Westfield, making 10 saves. Westfield outshot ECHO 28-13.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 6, WTM 1
December 9th, Olympia Ice Arena
Division: Peewee 1
The Jr. Bombers Pee Wee A’s started slow, but finished strong, defeating WTM 6-1 in West Springfield Sunday morning. Westfield dominated play throughout playing strong defense, relentless offense in cruising to their seventh straight GSL win. Alex Beauchemin continued a torrid scoring pace netting two goals. Quinn Powers chipped in with a goal and two assists. Joe Czernecki added a shorthanded goal and an assist, and defensemen Matt Pelletier and Connor Koziol rounded out the scoring with goals. Scott Bussell had two assists with Wyatt Jensen, Ryan Roskey, and Nik Chepurin all contributing with assists.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 5, Brattleboro 2
December 1, Brattleboro
Division: Peewee 2
Brattleboro’s Living Memorial Park Skating Rink could perhaps be renamed Living Dead Memorial Rink, since it is usually colder than an Alaskan zombie there, but the action by Westfield’s Peewee 2 squad heated up the building nicely. Tyler Bennett had an early crucial defensive breakup of a Brattleboro attack, and soon after Peter Chrisanthopoulos took the puck in from the blue line and planted a wrister to make it 1-0 in favor of Westfield. During a power play, Dan Buckelew brought the puck in from the side and shot, then Branden Waitt popped in the rebound to make it 2-0. Steady pressure by players including Paul Labbe, Colin Scanlon, Dan Antonellis, and Austin Wolfe kept the B’boro boys from organizing their offense. In the second period, Chrisanthopoulos pretty much submitted a Xerox copy of his earlier goal, a wrister top shelf, glove side, making it 3-0. When Westfield was shorthanded, goalie Ryan Bacon made some key saves. However, Brattleboro did later land a PPG from the point to make it 3-1. Devin Baker, who had a very strong game, answered with a wrist shot from the high slot that made it 4-1. Brattleboro then made it 4-2. Now, Vermont might have a socialist U.S. senator in Bernie Sanders but Westfield was in no mood to spread the wealth around, goal-wise, at least. When the enemy was swarming and the crease opened up momentarily, defenseman Charlie Bonatakis made a key save, swiping the puck right off the goal line. Bacon made several more key saves, and Nate Gendron went five-hole to make it 5-2. The Westfield boys hit 91 South for warmer regions, knowing they had done the American way proud.
Springfield Capitals 4, Westfield Jr. Bombers 2
December 2, Amelia Park
Division: Peewee 2
It was a 7 a.m. game, considered cruel and unusual punishment of parents under the U.S. Constitution, but helping wake up the crowd was hockey mom extraordinaire Brenda Labbe, who was acting as grand master of the music booth, playing the tunes that the kids like for getting their hockey blood flowing, like “kicking up” to the faceoff circle with the Dropkick Murphys. Perhaps some polka would have been better, since despite the headbanging warm-up the Capitals came right in from the opening faceoff and made it 1-0. That was less pleasant than swim time in the waterboarding tank at Gitmo. Westfield, however, started cooking up some offensive pressure. Clearly this was not the same kind of game as a lopsided loss they had suffered to the Caps earlier in the season at Cyr Arena. Tyler Bennett made a brave shot block, and defensemen Johnny Pitoniak and Austin Wolfe were also sharp. Colin Scanlon showed some nice offensive moves and prevented a Caps rush with a key backcheck. In the second period, Dan Buckelew knocked in a rebound off a shot by Peter Chrisanthopoulos to make it 1-1. The Caps broke out of their zone after heavy pressure and scored on a two-on-one to make it 2-1. Dan Antonellis showed his speed and agility with some good moves in the Caps zone. In the third period, the Caps made it 3-1. Nate Gendron made some good scoring tries but the Caps goalie made great saves each time. Chrisanthopoulos scored from the high slot to make it 3-2, but like an LP with a bad skip (apologies to anyone too young to know what that means), the Caps came right back again and made it 4-2. Westfield pulled their goalie but it was too late to change the outcome.
Westfield Jr. Bombers 8, Westfield Jr. Bombers 3
December 9, Amelia Park
Division: Peewee 2
Westfield’s Peewee 2 and Peewee 3 squads squared off on their shared home ice, a bit like a Giants-Jets game at MetLife Stadium, or Yankees-Mets in the Bronx. Hometown crowds for both teams but no fights erupted in the stands. Peewee 3 came out very strong, with great forechecking and impressive speed, and took an early 1-0 lead. The Peewee 2 passing game looked a bit rusty, probably due to a full week since their last game. Austin Wolfe tried sparking some offense from the defensive line, and Devin Baker got a breakaway goal making it 1-1. Peter Chrisanthopoulos rushed in with a steal and a score to make it 2-1. In the second period, Nate Gendron showed some brilliant stickhandling, then sent a blistering wrist shot top shelf stick side, to make it 2-1. The Peewee 3 squad scored from the blue line through a heavy screen, making it 3-2. No doubt this wasn’t the kind of script the Peewee 2 squad would want to try selling in Hollywood. But an improvement in the 2 squad’s play made it time for the “Chariots of Fire” soundtrack (set to slow motion, of course). Johnny Pitoniak made a monster slap shot from the blue line, and Jack Labbe jumped on the rebound to make it 4-2. Colin Scanlon, Branden Waitt, and Dan Antonellis all came on strong, too. Scanlon scored from the slot to make it 5-2. In the third period, Nate Gendron scored in front to make it 6-2. Charlie Bonatakis and Tyler Bennett were solid at the offensive blue line. However, the Peewee 3’s got a breakaway and scored on the rebound, 6-3. Devin Baker then took matters into his own hands, keeping the Peewee 3 squad from reentering his zone just like a Soviet tank at the Iron Curtain in East Germany. Chrisanthopoulos snaked his way to the goal to make it 7-3, then Bonatakis scored on a brutal slapshot from the slot, to make it 8-3, celebrating with a Tarzan-style, one-handed self-punch into the chest, a happy hockey. – COURTESY OF WESTFIELD YOUTH HOCKEY