Tough battle yields loss for Ice Hockey

JAN 3, WHEATON INLINE-

The ice hockey team lost 4-5 to Wootton High School due to poor play in their zone and a lack of intensity at the start of the match. The fast-paced game held both teams and fans in suspense and harbored high tempers.

The team is still struggling with playing well in their own zone, a problem that has plagued them since the beginning of the season. Senior Dylan Irion said that the team has trouble "breaking out," or getting the puck out of their zone on defense.

The boys went into the game expecting to lose because Wootton was moved down from tier one to tier two this season, according to senior Max Eckert. Irion said that the team "woke up" too late in the game. "We didn't play three periods of hockey, we only really started playing at the end," he said. Senior Mike Shields said that the team needs to get more motivated and keep consistant energy throughout the game.

Senior defender Zack Tinkelman scored Blair's first goal and later earned two assists. Wootton came back with three goals before sophomore Bradley Gee slapped one in, making the score 2-3 in the second period. Senior Wesley Gee scored Blair's third goal with an assist from Irion, and senior Matt Poness pulled out Blair's final goal with 16 seconds left in the game, ending it at 4-5.

Aggression started early in the first period. After sophomore goalie Graham Mathews made an impressive save, a Wootton player slapped and broke his stick against the wall, but suffered no penalty. Later in the game, the same Wootton player punched Mike Shields in the face and received a ten-minute penalty. By the end of the game Shields had received four penalties, the most of and Blazer.

By the third period the intensity and level of play was very high. Irion said that the last 20 minutes of the game showed how much potential the team has to be great. Blair outshot Wootton by at least nine shots and worked effectively on offense to generate opporitunities.

Although Eckert made an effort early in the season to control his aggression, he has been suspended for the season due to several misdemeanors from last week's game against Paint Branch High School. Eckert was suspended for the whole season as opposed to one game because he left the penalty bench, received two major penalties, and got into an altercation with a Paint Branch player. Eckert is petitioning his suspension with support from the team and Coach Kevin McCabe.

Looking for leadership on the ice, better playing in their zone, and more motivation, the boys hope to break their losing streak and improve their 1-4 record. Irion said that the rest of the season should be pretty much "downhill" because of an easy lineup. The Blazers battle Walter Johnson on Friday, January 10, at the Rockville Arc at 5:00 p.m.