Vineyarders skate against tough foes in pre-season openers

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Colby Gouldrup sprays some snow while keeping the puck away from a Hamden, Conn. defender. — Photo by Ralph Stewart

The Vineyard boys and girls varsity hockey teams hit the ice against top Division one competition in a series of pre-season scrimmages, last weekend, at the MV Arena.

The boys opened play, Friday night, against Needham. The Rockets played in the prestigious Division 1A Super Eight tournament last season.

Aside from giving up a five-on-three power play goal in the first period, the Vineyarders played the Rockets straight up the rest of the way.

Scrimmages are scored with each period treated as a separate entity. Thus, the Vineyarders lost period one, 1-0, and tied the Rockets 1-1 in both the second and third periods.

Colby Gouldrup scored the first Vineyard goal, assisted by Tyler Araujo and Nelson Dickson, who scored in the third period.

Saturday morning, MV faced-off with mighty Hamden High from Connecticut. The Green Dragons were the Nutmeg State champions in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and a quarter-finalist last season. Hamden have won 17 state titles and one national championship, in 1976.

The visitors scored three goals in the first period, two of the dazzling variety. The first score was a bang-bang play from a cross-ice feed across the goal mouth. The third goal came on a breakaway from a 40-foot pass up the middle.

The Vineyarders battled back and won the second period 2-1. Nelson Dickson scored first, from Dorian Johnson. Colby Gouldrup notched the second by batting the puck out of mid-air.

The teams scored two goals each in the third period. Bobby Perry tickled the twine from Colby Gouldrup, and Matt Davies tallied from Noah Stobie and Nelson Dickson.

As in the scrimmage against Needham, the Vineyarders got excellent goaltending from Mike Sylvia and freshman Noah Kleinhenz.

The boys closed out the weekend on Saturday afternoon with a tired, chippy affair against Acton-Boxborough. The Colonials tallied thrice and held MV scoreless over two 25-minute periods of running time.

After the busy weekend, MV hit the road, Monday, for a scrimmage against Plymouth South. Over three periods, the Islanders put nine pucks between the pipes to the Panthers’ three.

Vineyard girls face the Rockets’ red glare

The Vineyard girls played twice, once Saturday and once Sunday, against Needham. The Lady Rockets proved to be a tall order and outscored MV 3-0, 3-2, and 2-1 in the opener.

Celia Mercier, Aubrey Ashmun, and Emily Cimeno lit the lamp for the Vineyarders.

Sunday, MV held Needham to a goal in each of the first two periods. The Rockets re-fueled and took off with five goals in the third, but overall, Vineyard coach John Fiorito saw improvements on the ice and lauded the play of goalie Texe Craig and freshman center Sydney Davies.