Heuchling & Swift: Oyster River is 1-0-1 in pool. Here are 5 takeaways from latest win

DURHAM – Getting off to a strong start has been a point of emphasis for the Oyster River High School hockey team, something that has been lacking in the early stages of the regular season.

The Bobcats have come out firing in their first two games of the Heuchling & Swift Memorial Classic and Thursday night rode a three-goal outburst in the first period to a 5-2 win over Trumbull (Connecticut) High School at the Whittemore Center.

“Our game plan was to get the puck in low and kind of attack their D and I think the kids bought into it and stuck to it all game,” said Oyster River coach Peter Harwood. “From an execution standpoint I think we’re happy with that game.”

Balanced attack leads Bobcats to 1-0-1 in pool

Oyster River, which finished 1-0-1 in pool play in the Heuchling Division, featured a balanced attack with five players scoring goals. Of the seven goals the Bobcats have scored in the tournament five have come in the first period.

“We shifted the lines today to try and balance them so it’s great to see that,” Harwood said. “We have a lot of guys who I think can score. We just haven’t been able to figure out why we’ve had slow starts.”

Liam Eddy, Nolan Walsh, Cam Miner and Camden Beaupre each had a goal and an assist. Talon Beyer also scored for the Bobcats who outshot the Eagles 34-21. Oyster RIver goalie Harper Hubbard made 21 saves.

“I think that means we have a lot of talent on our team,” Eddy said. “It’s not like one guy's doing everything.”

Shane Dobosz and Cailen Simon scored for Trumbull (0-1). Marshwood-Noble-Sanford dropped a 3-2 decision to Martha’s Vineyard in Thursday’s first game.

Oyster River's Walsh nets game-winning goal

Walsh put the Bobcats ahead to stay with a goal at 8:27 of the first period that made it 2-1. Miner netted the eventual game-winner with 36.6 seconds remaining in the first which ended with Oyster River on top, 3-1.

“We’ve kind of changed our warm-up a little bit to try and get more energy, and it seems to have worked,” Beaupre said. “I think it’s definitely helped. We’ve had some strong first periods.”

The Bobcats increased the margin to 4-1 early in the second period on a power-play goal by Beyer, who roofed a laser from the right circle just 25 seconds into the middle stanza.

“We’ve got a couple guys that can shoot,” Harwood said. “If they can consistently hit the net and shoot like that I think we would be counting on four or five goals a game.”

Beaupre gives team insurance goal

Trumbull made it 4-2 at 6:16 of the second and Beaupre gave his club some insurance in the third with assists going to Walsh and Miner.

“We have a lot of depth on this team and a lot of individually skilled players,” Beaupre said. “We’ve just got to get everybody together and work as a team, and I think we’re starting to come together.”

Eddy gets Bobcats on the scoreboard

The Bobcats drew first blood when Eddy, stationed in the high slot, converted a nifty pass from Beaupre who was behind the goal line.

“I think we’re turning around our first periods,” Eddy said. “We’re coming out energetic. I think our energy was slow at the start of the season and we’re going now.”

The Eagles pulled even at the 7:21 mark of the first only to have Walsh answer 1:06 later with an assist going to Eddy.

“We matched up well with Trumbull,” Harwood said. “They’re a gritty team and they’re tough. They have some big defensemen, but it was a good matchup for us down low.”

Lockhard nets two goals for KnightHawks in loss to Martha's Vineyard

Ayden Lockard scored a pair of power-play goals but they weren’t enough as the Marshwood-Noble-Sanford hockey team dropped a 3-2 decision in Thursday's first game.

Deadlocked at 1-1 in the third period, the clubs combined for three goals in less than three minutes with MV’s Aiden Conley netting the eventual game-winner. He finished with a goal and an assist. Liam Conley and Mason Warburton also scored for MV.

“We played really good against a good team,” said KnightHawks assistant coach Jack Garnhart. “They’re a physical team. We didn’t take any stupid penalties, kept our heads and scored big goals to tie it up.”

The KnightHawks Emmett Hammond assisted on Lockard’s first goal that tied the game at 1-1 in the second period. Lockard’s second goal was unassisted and came in the third period to knot the count at 2-2.

Ben Ott finished with 31 saves as Martha’s Vineyard outshot the KnightHawks 34-14. Marshwood-Noble-Sanford fell to 1-1 in the Swift Division.

“I’m happy with the resolve and how we played,” Garnhart said. “(Martha's Vineyard) is probably going to go on to the finals and have a chance to win it.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Oyster River boys hockey beats Trumbull in Heuchling & Swift Memorial