MANCHESTER, NH — Chris Centerino scored a pair of goals and goalie Mike Gantner turned aside 21 shots to lead Trinity past Nashua, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the JFK Coliseum.
Trinity (3-0-0) took the lead for good in the final seconds of the first period, then took control with a pair of goals in the second.
Captain Brendon Doughry had a goal and an assist for Nashua, which dropped to 0-4-0. The Knights have been competitive in every game, with three of their losses coming by a single goal.
This is the first year South and North have joined forces for a co-op boys hockey team and co-Head Coach Chris Zalinga said the players are still adjusting.
One bright spot for Nashua was the play of Tony Venezia, who was brilliant between the pipes, finishing with 46 saves. Venezia was under siege in the first period but kept the Knights in the game with 20 saves in the first 15 minutes.
Trinity grabbed an early lead, as Centorino made a steal just outside the blue line and walked in alone for an unassisted goal.
Despite just six shots on goal in the first period. Nashua manages to tie the game, 1-1, on a goal from Doughty, who beat Gantner to the short side with 3:26 to play in the period.
Trinity was able to regain momentum on Centorino’s second goal, which came with just two seconds left on the clock. Muscling for position in front of the net, Centorino was able to redirect a shot from Conor Hurley.
”That’s a big momentum changer,” said Trinity Coach Mike Connell. “It’s deflating if you’re on the other side but it really picks you up if you’re on the side that scores the goal.”
”That’s happened a couple of times to us this year. It’s something we have to work on, really bearing down the last 90 seconds to two minutes of a period,” said Zalinga.
Nashua had multiple chances to tie the game in the second period but solid play from Gantner and some “puck luck” stymied the Knights. Nashua’s best chance came on a shorthanded breakaway by Conor Prunler, who beat Gantner cleanly but clanged his shot off the left post.
It was one of three Nashua shots which found metal instead of the back of the net.
”Their post played a heckuva game. The score could have been a lot different,” said Zalinga.
Trinity had its own shorthanded scoring chance but was able to cash in. With 5:53 left in the period, Patrick Mahar broke free down the right side, made a perfect centering pass to Colton Laroe, who ripped a one-timer past Venezia for a 3-1 lead.
Three minutes later, Tristan Lucier scored off a feed from Hunter Therrien, pushing Trinity’s lead to 4-1.
”I think we’re in progress,” said Connell. “We’re going to try to get better the next day and the next day. We’ve still got some kinks.”
Both clubs entered the game undermanned, due to illness and injury. As play progressed, Trinity’s superior depth began to show.
The Pioneers pushed their lead to 5-1 on a third-period power play goal by Conor Hurley.
Nashua closed out the scoring when Doughty set up Brendan Skelley for a goal with 1:44 remaining.