Boys hockey: Amherst notches impressive 3-2 win over Minnechaug at MassMutual Center
Published: 12-27-2024 6:50 PM |
SPRINGFIELD – The Amherst boys hockey team picked up its first win of the season in a 3-2 victory over Minnechaug on Friday afternoon at the MassMutual Center.
Freshman Nate Desbian deposited two goals for the Hurricanes (1-2-1) while senior goalie Spencer McDonald earned the win in net. Senior Ethan Mooney scored the eventual game-winning goal for Amherst midway through the second period, sending the Hurricanes to their first victory against the Falcons since 2016.
“This is a huge win for this program, absolutely huge,” Amherst head coach Mike Rousseau said. “If you had told me first week of practice we were going to beat Minnechaug in a one-goal game at the MassMutual Center, I would have told you you were crazy. But these guys got the coaches believing. They got us believing that our system is working. They’re believing that the system works, they’re playing for each other, that’s all we can ask.”
The Falcons thoroughly outshot the Hurricanes, 31-15, but McDonald and junior Jason Kim, who went into the game with about eight minutes left in the third period, stood tall against the Berry Division level competition.
“It keeps me warm,” McDonald said on facing a high volume of shots. “I like them more than games with like 10 shots. Sometimes those games are harder because you’re out of a rhythm. I got tired but it feels good.”
“It’s a tough situation right, you’re up a goal, 3-2, your senior captain is doing the job, but I owe some loyalty to these other kids that have been coming every day,” Rousseau said of the goalie change. “Jason Kim, he is who he is and he showed he deserved to finish out that game.”
Minnechaug’s only two power plays of the contest came with Kim in net, but Amherst escaped both instances scot-free.
Conversely, the Hurricanes scored a pair of power-play goals, with the first coming with under a minute left in the opening frame.
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Trailing 1-0, Amherst evened the score on Desbian’s first of the game, following a shot from the slot that changed direction, before finding the back of the net. Desbian’s 1-1 equalizer crossed the line with 39.2 seconds showing on the clock.
Desbian’s second strike occurred at 3:11 of the middle stanza, on a nice individual effort goal from the young centerman. Desbian skated around a defender on the right side, then faked out the Falcons goalie before tucking the puck just between the far post and the outstretched tender’s pad and in, giving the Hurricanes the 2-1 lead.
“He’s not a highly-skilled player, he’d be the first one to tell you that, but his go-button is never off,” Rousseau said. “He plays physical, he plays clean, he eats pucks for us, he eats minutes for us, he takes the faceoffs. Not only that, he’s a great support on the bench when kids make a mistake. Never screaming and yelling at players, always saying next time, next time, I got it, look for me here. Nate Desbian is going to be a leader for this team and he’s only a freshman and it’ll be interesting watching him develop and become a better player.”
Similar to Desbian’s first tally, Mooney’s power-play goal was an ugly one as the winger threw the puck toward the slot and the puck carromed off a couple bodies in front and into the net. This time, the goal extended Amherst’s lead to 3-1 at 5:57 of the second.
“Our power play is simplistic, it’s just get pucks to the net,” Rousseau said. “All we preach at practice is get shots on net, shots on net, can’t do it in practice, well alright, we’ll take it in games. When pucks go to the net, good things can happen. Nothing bad can happen when you take a shot on net. Today is absolute proof that that happened.”
Minnechaug (2-3) received goals from Brayden O’Sullivan and Cameron Faneuff.
“Getting in the win column definitely gives us a lot more confidence,” McDonald said. “We play Agawam next, a lot of league games in the next two weeks so definitely gives us a lot more confidence going into those considering before this, we didn’t have a win.”
Friday’s game at MassMutual Center was organized by Joe Manning, an Inside Sales Specialist for the Thunderbirds and former Minnechaug hockey player.