Belmont, MA: The Nobles Bulldogs opened their season with a key ISL win over Belmont Hill this afternoon. Belmont Hill was up 4-1 after one period. 4-3 after two periods and then up 5-3 with under three minutes left in the game. Nobles went on to score two 6 on 5 goals in under a minute to send the game to overtime. It overtime, Casey Severo tipped home a pass from Aidan Lyons to win in just 13 seconds in. Lyons assisted on the last three Nobles goals which took place over a 1:37 span.
The first period Belmont Hill controlled most of the play. BHS goalie Michael Hauswirth made a nice save very early on Nobles’ David Jacobs who had the puck all alone in front. Then Belmont Hill went on to score three straight goals. First, junior Kevin McCallum got just enough on the puck in a mad scramble in front to put his team up 1-0 just 1:24 into the period. A little over two minutes later, Ryan McGuire struck on the power play as he rifled a one timer home on a perfect set-up from Luke Khozozian. Then with 9:53 left McGuire worked the give and go on the breakout with Khozozian. Ryan flew up ice, forced a bad gap, set up the screen and fired a wicked wrist shot home to make it 3-0 BHS. Nobles would grab a goal with 8:24 left on a turnaround from the high slot by senior Robert Lapsley. Sophomore Drew Haxton set up the play with a clean zone entry. Belmont Hill continued to control play and got back to a three-goal cushion when Zephan Kraus tapped a puck from mid-air on a pass from linemate and classmate Khozozian. Period ended with Belmont Hill up 4-1 and all the momentum.
It was clear at the start of the second that the game was not over. Nobles came out flying. Nobles’ David Jacobs fired a puck quickly from a strange angle that bounced off bodies and went in the net just 1:08 in to get Nobles within two. With 5:09 left Marc Smith made a huge save as he leaped to his left to deny Belmont Hill another three-goal lead. Less than two minutes later, Roman Tacelli found a loose puck on a scramble in front to get the Bulldogs within one. The period was a bit chippy and Nobles still was without a power play through 36 minutes. 4-3 Belmont Hill after two.
The third period was as wild as they get. Both teams had chances as the game become intense, faster and more physical. No one was able to break through until sophomore Drew Blackwell found a rebound of a hard Will Killoran shot and it looked like the game would be over as BHS led 5-3 with just over two minutes left. It wasn’t, however, as Nobles went to work quickly and got Smith out of the net for the extra attacker. With 1:24 left, Owen O’Connor tipped an Aidan Lyons’ shot home. Now it’s 5-4. Nobles won the center ice draw and immediately took Smith out and went on the attack. A clean zone entry and led to some zone time and a Belmont Hill icing. Nobles won the ensuing draw and soon after Casey Severo took a pass from Lyons and attacked the net. His shot trickled in behind Hauswirth and David Jacobs was there to finish it off. Tie game and they headed to overtime.
In overtime it didn’t take long as Nobles’ Severo picked up another faceoff, the puck went back to the point on a cross zone pass by Jacobs and Aidan Lyons fired a puck on the tape that Severo near the net they he quickly buried. Nobles wins 6-5.
Three Stars:
First: David Jacobs (Nobles)
Second: Ryan McGuire (Belmont Hill)
Third: Aidan Lyons (Nobles)
NZ Notes: Ian Moran hit on many of these players and more in his PLPG. For Belmont Hill; they look deeper and tougher than last year. Sophomore 2003 Will Killoran is big, strong, hits to defend and played some power play. Heavy shot and lots of upside. Classmate and fellow 2003 Tom Goguen is also big at 6’3” and effective in all situations. Athletic defender who made some good keeps, played tough near his net and took time and space away quickly. Both Ryan McGuire’s goals were absolute rifles. He can really shoot it. He played smart as the F3 and knew where to go to make plays. He also showed a greasy element to his game where he irritated Nobles in tough areas without taking penalties. Ryan is very good on the faceoff dot. Senior Captain Luke Khozozian would have been our second star had Belmont Hill won. He was all over the ice and played a tough, skilled game. Zephan Kraus has some nice stick skills and was tough to play against. Has some chirp in his game we liked too. Senior Liam Kelly at 5’5” was one of the toughest players on the ice as he went to the corners, took hits and made plays. He got smoked on one hit and got right up, almost bounced up and joined the play. We liked his game tonight. PITA who stole pucks and never stopped. He has very good speed. For Nobles; it as a weird game. They didn’t have any power plays until the very beginning of the third period yet had to kill off several. Some of their best players took almost the whole game to get going as Aidan Lyons and Casey Severo came alive in a big way in the third period. Lyons who was just OK most of the game really started all three of Nobles’ last goals. Severo was great on the dot and attacked the net with a purpose. He didn’t look 100 percent but that’s a guess. Late 2001 David Jacobs was on the puck all game. He is long and rangy and it was not surprising he was a big part of the comeback. Colby Bailey is a solid, senior defensemen. He is strong, hits to defend and played well on the power play and penalty kill. Has good touches and showed a hard shot. He was very good. Robert Lapsley scored a goal but also added a physical element at 6’3”. He is still raw despite being a 2001 and we like his upside.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
