The Captains started their three game run at home last Thursday for a rematch against William & Mary’s Tribe hockey team. Previously, CNU lost 0-11 against William & Mary in September, but this game clearly showed the improvements the Captains have been making through the season.
The first period started off rough, with Tribe scoring less than two minutes into the game. The Captains defense quickly stepped up in response with goalie Henry Gagnier (1) blocking three shots before Tribe once again broke through, scoring two consecutive shots to gain a three point lead within the first ten minutes.
As the game continued, it was obvious CNU had significantly strengthened their defense since the universities last meeting, with Tribe struggling to stay on the offensive before the Captains intercepted time and time again. Overall, the team was more cohesive with smoother passes and cleaner interceptions.
With eight minutes left in the first period, forward Blake Berger (34) scored the Captains first point of the night before Tribe widened the gap even further by scoring two more points before the first period ended, with the score being 1-5.
The second period started with numerous penalties, and the resulting powerplays, with the game not seeming to progress at all until there were thirty seconds left on the clock, with Tribe scoring once again to make the score 1-6 before the final period of the game.
The third period started similarly to the second period, with little major action until the last six minutes of the game when Tribe scored two consecutive goals before taking a powerplay. Despite those odds, senior defensemen Connor Gnatek (27) was able to score a shorthanded goal with under three minutes left in the game.
The match ended CNU 2-8, but despite the loss the Captains still showed how much they had improved since their last match-up against William and Mary. Their defense was clearly much stronger than before, with goalie Gagner blocking over thirty-five shots from Tribe’s team, lowering Tribe’s shot to score ratio from roughly 23% last game to approximately 18% this match. They were also able to break through Tribe’s defense more than previously.
