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Photo Michael Iacuessa
Bronson Zawaduk takes one for the team. Norwell received a double minor penalty on the play. |
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Photo Michael Iacuessa
Drew Locke gets tied up with a Norwell player fighting for the puck. |
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Penguins falter under pressure from Norwell
It was what a team on the cusp really needs, launching a valiant comeback against a Norwell team that came into Charles Moore Arena Saturday night with an 11-1-1 record.
Despite three third-period goals to even the score at 3-3, Harwich/P'town eventually succumbed to the visitors, 4-3, after Norwell’s Andrew McLendon connected on the game winner, a slap shot from just inside the blue line, with 4:52 to play.
It halted a Penguin rally that featured three goals in the first four minutes of the period, two by Drew Locke sandwiched around one by Bronson Zawaduk. Shaun Gould assisted on two of the goals and Zawaduk and Tim Clarke on one each.
The Penguins found themselves on the power play for the final 1:53, including a five-on-three for the last 1:05, but failed to tie. They pulled goalie Frank Ulsch with 30 seconds left, but struggled to get out of their own end as Norwell played aggressively despite being down two men.
“A tie would have been a win for us but we let it slip away,” said Harwich/Provincetown Coach John Danby.
The Penguins are still trying to get their rhythm back after a rash of injuries and, at times Saturday, they were not completely in synch despite a scrappy effort.
“The energy we had in the third period we needed earlier in the game,” said Coach John Danby. “We didn’t have some of the energy around the net. We were too cute at the net.”
The Clippers committing nine penalties to the Penguins two, giving Harwich/Provincetown its share of advantages. The Clippers took two double-minor penalties and, in the first period, an unsportsmanlike penalty on its starting goaltender, who did not return. Both of Locke’s goals came on power plays.
Ulsch played well in his start in net. Norwell threatened often in the final period.
“He made some very good saves in the third period,” said Danby. “I don’t think he saw either the third or fourth goal. They were doing a pretty good job of screening in front of us, which we are not doing.”
The loss leaves the Penguins with a precarious 7-8-1 record, 5-4 in the South Shore League. They have four games left, three in the league, and need five points to clinch a post-season berth.
“Hopefully we’ve turned the corner on the bad stuff. We’re in a must-win situation the rest of the way,” said Danby.
The Penguins, with the return of Joe McKinnon, who is coming off an illness and an injured wrist, are almost back to health. Unfortunately, his ice time came after Jake Morris, who had been hobbled by a bad ankle, re-injured it.
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PHS Sports
Nauset Sports |
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Feb 9th, 2006