RallyNorth.net

Sat, Feb 02, 2008 07:00 PM @ Newburyport

Team	Final
Gloucester	2
Newburyport	4

Physical Newburyport clips Fishermen

Monday, February, 04 By Nick Curcuru
Correspondent

Saturday's hockey game between Gloucester and Newburyport saw two teams come in with two contrasting styles of play. The Fishermen came in looking to use their speed and get into the open ice, whereas the Clippers wanted to throw their weight around and play physical.

Unfortunately for Gloucester, the bigger, stronger Clippers took advantage of their strength and pounded out a 4-2 victory at Graf Rink.

Newburyport controlled the game with their bone-crushing checks. Led by the hitting by a pair of Dereks, McCory and Freeman, the Clippers (7-6-1) wore down the Fishermen (10-2-2) with their physicality.

Gloucester head coach Don Lowe said his team had a tough time dealing with the physical play the Clippers were carrying out.

"They really banged us around," Lowe said. "That was the most physical team we played all season and they used their smaller rink to really knock us around."

Clippers head coach Paul Yameen was happy with the physical play of his team, noting that his team needs to play that way in order to win.

"We have to play physical," Yameen said. "We're a big, strong team and we have to take advantage of that. Tonight, we did."

Gloucester lost more than just the game.

Junior tri-captain Josh Salah looked to be making his return after missing nine games with a broken wrist, only to see his debut last just two shifts after suffering a cut on his leg. Fishermen goalie Bradley Robertson also had to leave the game in the second period with a shoulder injury. The severity of both players injuries were not yet known, but both players had to see a doctor.

"It was tough to lose Josh after just two shifts and Bradley in the second," Lowe said. "Some of the players were fired up to see him return."

The Fishermen took a 2-0 lead in the first period. Brett Biondo banged home a rebound to make it 1-0 Fishermen. Three minutes later, Marc Buotte took a cross-ice pass from Andrew Fulford to make it 2-0.

Gloucester's momentum would be short-lived, however, as the Clippers stuck to their physical game plan. The physicality paid off for Newburyport just one minute after falling behind by two goals when McCory took advantage of a Gloucester turnover to make it 2-1. Kevin Holmes would tie the game at two with 23 seconds to play in the first.

The Clippers would get the game-winner early in the second when Freeman's shot went just past the glove of Robertson to make it 3-2. Derek McElroy would add an insurance goal in the third.

After the game, Yameen said he was happy with the way his team neutralized Gloucester's speed.

"We did a really good job of blocking the middle of the ice," Yameen said. "We knew that if we let them transition we would be in trouble because they have six or seven forwards that can fly. But we did a good job keeping them out of the middle of the ice, especially in the neutral zone."

The road gets even tougher for the Fishermen now, as they host St. Mary's of Lynn on Wednesday (7 p.m.). Despite the loss, Lowe knows his team can bounce back.

"We have to keep working hard," Lowe said. "We have been working hard all season we just hit a bump in the road. But it doesn't get any easier from here. It's late in the season and teams are getting better and starting to find their stride, we need to step it up."