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Photo Kevin Mullaney
PHS senior Drew Locke sets up around the net Saturday in the Penguins’ 3-2 loss to Cape Tech-Chatham. |
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Penguins plunge, 2 players down
Team still on track to state tourney
By Kevin Mullaney
Banner Correspondent
The Harwich-Provincetown Penguins have seen more than their share of adversity this season, and the hits just keep on comin’. Depleted by injuries all season, the Penguins battled their way to a tourney spot. Now relatively healthy, the team has been hit by the loss of two of their best players for the year — Harwich’s Jim Clark and Sean Gould, the high scoring junior defenseman and senior first-line wing — due to non-hockey-related reasons.
The loss of Clark and Gould made all the difference in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Cape Tech-Chatham combined team. Playing two lines to Cape Tech’s three and down 3-0, junior forward Myles Franklin scored off a feed from sophomore Addie Weeks two minutes into the third period. An unassisted goal by senior forward Jay Gomes four minutes later brought the Penguins within one, 3-2, but a debatable interference call with 26 seconds left sealed the win and a tourney berth for Cape Tech.
“It was a grinder,” said H-P coach John Danby, adding that he couldn’t have asked for more than what his team gave tonight. “They put it all on the line. Drew Locke was immense,” he said of the Provincetown High School senior. “He knew a lot was going to be asked of him and he performed like a captain and a leader. Great moves, nice passes. He was our go-to guy at both ends.” Danby also singled out Mike Scotti and [goalie] Ryan St. Pierre. Cape Tech outshot H-P 25-16.
The Penguins play a make-up game with Mashpee Tuesday then wait for the tournament seedings. Of the loss of Clark and Gould, Danby was clearly stunned, calling them two key components of the team, but responded that the situation now “makes an opportunity for other kids.”
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PHS Sports
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Feb 22nd, 2007