When it comes to the regular season lately, Essex just does not lose.
Trailing by a goal midway through the second period, Steve Morse scored unassisted to even the score 2-2. Less than two minutes later, Steve Jurkiewicz’s goal gave Essex the lead for good in their 4-2 win over South Burlington in boys hockey Saturday at Cairns Arena.
Essex extended their regular-season unbeaten streak to 29 games. The Hornets extended their streak at the expense of a thirteen-game win streak by South Burlington.
Coming off a come-from-behind win over Colchester on Thursday, Essex (14-0-1) came out firing against the Rebels. Essex took the first five shots of the game and outshot South Burlington 14-5 in the first period. Essex broke through on Pat Abbott’s power play goal eight minutes into the contest to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.
“We’ve been working to get more shots on goal,” said Essex head coach Bill O’Neil. “Our power play worked today and I think we just were able to outwork them. I am real happy with how our defense played.”
Momentum appeared to shift as South Burlington (14-2) answered back in the second period with two goals in less than a minute and a half. Eric Craig scored unassisted to put the Rebels on the board and then Sam Finkelstein pushed his South Burlington ahead with a power play goal.
“The effort wasn’t there so we talked about it between the first and second periods. We came out refocused and got back in the game,” said South Burlington head coach Sean Jones. “Then it got away from us. We have potential and that is what we left this game with.”
Essex would then on to score the final three goals of the game while killing their final four penalties. JT Begnoche knocked in an empty-netter with 39 seconds left to seal the win.
“I’m sure we’ll see them again down the line,” said O’Neil. “They are a very good team. They’re quick and play their system well.”
Entering Satuday, Essex had allowed the fewest goals per game in Division I (1.6) while South Burlington averaged 5½ goals per game—second in Division I.
“We set a goal every game of 30 shots and we didn’t get there today,” said Jones. “Essex is a real good solid defensive team and Campbell did a great job keeping the puck out of the net.”
Brody Almeida finished with two assists for the Hornets. Jurkiewicz, Begnoche and Justin Cole also had assists for an Essex team that has lost only one game in the last 365 days—the Division I championship game vs. CVU last March.
South Burlington’s Nathaniel Young had 29 saves. Pat Campbell made 17 saves for Essex.
Essex’s next game is Wednesday when they host Burlington. South Burlington plays Rice on Wednesday for their next game.
throw out names like campbell, begnoche, jurkiewicz, and morse as much as you want the reason Essex stays on top is their chemistry as a team. SB, St. Albans, and Colchester should stop looking at personal stats and look at their records because something isn’t adding up…
Please elaborate VThockeyisDUSTY. I don’t understand what you are trying to say. SB and BFA and CHS have all given EHS good games. SB and BFA are 28-4 so I don’t understand your post.
EHS is good because they end up with more goals then the other team. Sr goalie having a great year and another kid who played Jr. B last year is playing for the Hornets this year, and a roster with a few former Glades players you will win more than others with these players. They are on a good run at the moment.
EHS has great players, but nothing overpowering. Last year the top five goal scorers all had either 10 or 11 goals, shortly followed by players with 8, 7, and 6. What it seems to me is other teams depend on there first and second lines to win them games. When you compare rosters it seems like BFA should have the clearly dominant team doesnt it? I guess I see Essex as the best team in the state because of they’re teamwork together. Not because one player goes end to end 2 to 3 times a game.
Goals are not the only measure to a successful hockey player or successful team. I can say that BFA and SB both have 3 forward lines that can put the puck in the net at a good clip. BFA is going throught a few major injuries to some key players. I have seen SB and BFA play probable close to 15 times this year and I have not seen one kid go n2n for a goal. To say one player goes n2n 2 to 3 times a game means you don’t get high school hockey and you have not seen these other teams play.
On a side note…a few players on the EHS bench did not play a single second on Saturday against SB. Is this because of their clear dominance as a team focused on teamwork and working together. Essex ran 3 lines just like SB and BFA does, and has done all year.
I don’t think your getting the fact that BFA depends on their first line 60% of the game, their second line 30% and their 3rd 10%. SB is little more spread out but that’s because they’ve even distributed Finklestein, Gluck, Creig, and there other top players onto 3 different lines, but still depend heavily on the top 2.
I also wouldn’t say I haven’t seen many of these teams play seeing how I’m in the metro and I go to big games like EHS vs SB, St. Albans vs SB, or EHS vs St. Albans. I’ve also grown up playing hockey with all the top players in the state and I know what teams depend on who…
Then are you saying is not smart to even distribute your talent over 3 lines like SB does?
SB runs 3 lines…their first line is a little better then their second line, and yes their second line is a little better then their third line. One night the 2nd line will be the better of the 3 and other nights the 3rd line will out shine the other 2, Same can be said for the 1st line.
They are evenly distributed like you said, and this has worked out nicely as evident of their 15-2 record. Most teams have a 3rd line which provides energy and the lines may not always contributes with goals, but rather keep the game in check by providing energy and by wearing down teams. SB’s lines play equal time, while some players get extra time on PP or PK (again this is nothing unusual with other teams like EHS).
Your comment about the teams like SB should stop looking at personal stats and look at their records because something isn’t adding up didn’t make sense with me. What isn’t adding up?