RallyNorth.net

Salem downs Pinkerton

Thursday, December, 13 By Ryan Lambert
Staff writer

HOOKSETT, N.H. | Pinkerton coach Casey Kesselring had one complaint about his team's tough, physical performance in a 4-1 loss to Salem: lack of discipline.

Salem's gifted goalscorers were given ample opportunity to show off their skill thanks to Pinkerton's 46 penalty minutes. The Blue Devils, who scored the first three goals of the game with a man advantage, had "just" 18 minutes shorthanded.

"The power play and penalty kill is what wins it in this league," said Blue Devils coach Mark McGinn. "Pretty much two thirds of the game is spent on one or the other, this game it was obviously more, but that's why it's something we practice every day. It's going to be something that wins or loses games for us."

Salem senior Ryan Desroches capitalized only 13 seconds into his team's first power-play chance, collecting a pass from Jared Henderson and rifling the puck past sophomore goaltender J.J. Solloway (31 saves) at 2:44 of the first period.

Kesselring immediately called a timeout.

"We came out, it's our first game of the year, and we've got a lot of guys that are playing more important roles that haven't before," he said. "I think we were a little jacked up and started running around. That's why I called the timeout, to try and settle us down."

The plan worked, to an extent. While Pinkerton still took four more minor penalties in the period, the Astros were much more composed in their own zone and weathered an eight-shot barrage the rest of the way.

Derek Tomes added another goal, the eventual game-winner at 6:15 of the second period, again on the power play. Josh Frahm, who assisted on the first two tallies, struck 57 seconds into the third to ice the game. That, too, was on the power play.

"Derek Tomes passed it down to Jared Henderson on the boards, and he cycled it low to me," said Frahm, who used the extra space to his advantage. "I walked out from underneath the goal line, just came across and put it off the far-side post and in."

Bobby Meskell put Pinkerton on the board less than two minutes later, picking a defenseman's pocket and beating Salem keeper Robert Liberatore (15 saves) to the near post. Joseph Simone answered for Salem just 37 seconds later to close the scoring.