Scott Corbett has been waiting for the game where the Whaler boys hockey team is able to put several goals on the board and earn a win comfortably. On Wednesday night he got his his wish when his team beat Mashpee/Monomoy 8-4 at Nantucket Ice to improve their record to 5-5-2.
“It didn’t start out as us running away with it,” Corbett, Nantucket’s head coach, said. “We started out strong and the way we wanted to start out. I told them we needed to approach this like we are playing Bishop Stang or Barnstable and we did. We were absolutely dominating the game. But we had some issues with finishing our chances again at first.”
The Monarchs scored 3:27 into the game off a breakaway to take a 1-0 lead, but Nantucket would bounce back later in the first period with a goal by defenseman Michael Culkins, who was on the receiving end of a good cross-ice pass by senior center Camden Knapp to make it 1-1 with 4:02 to go in the first period. The score stood at 1-1 going into the second period.
“We came out in the second period, got the puck moving, and Cole (Evens) scored for us to put us up 2-1 in the first two minutes. We were all over them.”
The Whalers outshot the Monarchs 36-3 through the first two periods, but only led 2-1 after two periods. Evens would end up finishing the game with two goals and an assist for his first three point game of the year.
“We tried to tell guys we need to get someone right in front of him if we want to score on this kid because he was standing on his head,” Corbett said. “We also had to get him moving side to side.”
Junior winger Jack Billings gave the Whalers a 3-1 lead 10 seconds into the final period. He took the loose puck, went around three Monarch defenders, and was able to bury the goal.
The Whalers went on to score two more goals in the next 1:31. Senior center Cosmo Tedeschi ripped a shot from the slot on the power play that found its way to the back of the net to make it 4-1, then Billings scored his second goal of the game to make it 5-1 with 13:19 left in the game.
The Whalers went on to score three more goals to make it 8-1 with 4:06 left in the game. At that point, Corbett sat his top two lines to allow his bottom two lines to get some ice time he believes they deserved given their hard work in practice and contributions to the team all year long.
“We not only needed this game to see the puck going in the back of the net but also just for our overall morale,” Corbett said. “To see our top players sitting on the bench and how into it they were, how excited they were to see their teammates on the ice who don’t always have an opportunity to get out there, it was just awesome. I am hoping we can carry this momentum into Nauset on Saturday.”
Culkins’ first period goal was the first of his varsity career. Junior Curren Hatch scored his first varsity goal. Senior Dylan Ottani and Canton Jenkinson notched their first career varsity points, with each tallying an assist. Goalie Toni Swietlik saw his first varsity action in net.
The Whalers are scheduled to take on the Warriors at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Nauset. The Whalers lost to Nauset at home earlier this season 3-2 in overtime.
