CABIN JOHN, MD – In anticipation of an exciting rivalry matchup, fans of both 3-1 Whitman and 0-3 B-CC packed Cabin John Ice Rink. The game lived up to all the hype, with goals, impressive saves, controversial calls and no-calls, bone-crunching hits, and even a near line-brawl.
The Vikings jumped out to an early lead with an unassisted goal by defenseman Steven Mah less than 3 minutes into the first period. Soon after, Whitman’s Henry Herdman was booked for an 8-minute penalty for checking from behind, giving B-CC a major opportunity to capitalize. Unfortunately, the Barons struggled, giving up a shorthanded goal to extend the Vikings’ lead. Around halfway through the first, things started getting chippy between the two rivals. Both teams had been on the bad side of several heavy hits, and tensions boiled over when a major scrum broke out deep in B-CC’s defensive zone. Whitman dominated the first frame, but B-CC goaltender Blake Schoenebeck came up with several clutch saves to help limit the damage.
The second period was a different story for B-CC, narrowing the lead to just 1 with a breakaway goal from center Leo Alley-Strocher 6 minutes in, his 3rd on the season. After the game, the Barons’ goal scorer remarked, “I have one move I do almost every time, so I’m always looking for a chance to get open and take that scoring chance.” After Alley-Strocher’s strike, things were finally starting to go B-CC’s way. They were able to show more physicality and keep consistent pressure on the Whitman defense. All they struggled to do was find the back of the net.
The Barons looked to have a chance to even out the score early in the 3rd period when a Whitman tripping penalty led to a penalty shot; however, B-CC was unable to convert. It wasn’t until there were around 3 minutes left in the game that the momentum shifted for good. Whitman committed roughing and slashing penalties, leading to a full 1.5-minute 5-on-3 power play for the Barons, another opportunity B-CC was unable to take advantage of. Soon after the two-man-advantage expired, Whitman found themselves on a 5-on-3 of their own due to questionable tripping and cross-checking calls on Barons’ defensemen Ben Lyons and Jacob Reitz, respectively. Whitman was ultimately able to capitalize, sealing their 3-1 win with a goal by Herdman as time expired.
Alley-Strocher, who took a controversially non-penalized blindside hit to the head from a Vikings defender while on a late-game breakaway, voiced his displeasure with the officiating after the contest, noting that “it’s always frustrating when you see something so blatant and it’s not called, or something that definitely should not have been called at all, and it’s called a penalty.”
Throughout the game, Whitman played with more physicality, was able to put more pressure on the Barons’ defense, and was, overall, the better team. The Vikings scored their second goal just over 7 minutes in, and that turned out to be the game-winner.
Coming up next, the now 0-4 Barons will take on the 3-1 Wootton Patriots this Friday, November 14, in a 9 pm showdown at the Rockville Ice Arena.
