Blair hockey falls to the Barons

The Blair Community ice hockey team is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Montgomery Blair High School athletic program or Montgomery County Public Schools. The team is an independent group of Blair students.

DEC. 9, LAUREL ICE GARDEN—

Less than three minutes into the first period, a Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) player skated around the back of the net and slammed the puck past junior Robbie Ginsberg, scoring the Barons' first goal of the night. They kept up the pressure for the rest of the game, demolishing the Blazers in a 7-0 shutout for Blair's third loss of the season to drop their record to 0-3.

Blair's offense again struggled, taking only 17 shots to the Barons' 54. B-CC ran a highly effective trap defense that stifled Blair's offensive attempts. Additionally, the Blazers had difficulty completing passes and were frequently forced to chase after stray pucks.

The difference in experience levels between Blair and B-CC was clear, as B-CC's seasoned travel players dominated on the ice. The Barons maintained possession and kept the puck on the Blazers' end of the rink for most of the game. "Our team is mostly new kids, and B-CC has a lot of really experienced travel players," said Ginsberg.

The Barons grabbed the advantage early with their third-minute goal and continued to pressure the Blair defense for the rest of the period. B-CC scored twice more in the first period, repeatedly swarming the goal and overwhelming the Blair defenders. Early on, Blair was often unable to clear the puck and muster any controlled offensive possessions on the Barons' half of the ice.

B-CC played aggressively and physically dominated the Blazers, getting in several crushing checks. Despite their lack of offensive support, Ginsberg and senior Lee Shields made a solid effort against the superior skill and experience of the Barons. B-CC's defense, however, was able to severely limit legitimate scoring opportunities for the Blair team.

In the second period, the Blazers stepped up their aggression and began to skate toe-to-toe with the Barons. The Blair forwards had several opportunities to score but failed due sloppy passing and setups, and the score remained at 3-0 for most of the period. Near the end of the period, however, B-CC scored twice on successive breakaways to extend its lead.

Blair continued to struggle in the last period, as the Barons kept up the attack and scored twice more, once on a power play. The Blazers maintained the physical play from the second period but still could not compete offensively, finishing the game without scoring. Junior Lenny Slenkovich played well on defense, helping to break up plays and disrupt several dangerous situations.

While disappointed by the loss, the Blazers are still satisfied with the effort. They also saw clear room for improvement. "We played good, but we could have played better," said Slenkovich.