The Alvirne-Milford Admirals started their winter season last week with two home games, winning the first 6-2, but then falling in an 8-0 shutout to end the year at 1-1.
The Admirals finished last year with a regular season record of 9-7-2 and earned their first playoff berth in five years where they made it as far as the semifinals, where they fell to the eventual Division II Champs from Oyster River High School.
In the team’s first game of the season, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Alvirne-Milford squad easily got by Lebanon-Stevens-Mascoma (LSM) by a score of 6-2.
The Admirals traded goals in the first period to finish at 2-2, but pulled away in the second and never looked back.
Lebanon led 1-0 at 8:49 to start the scoring, then at 4:44, Milford’s Landon Briand tied the game with an assist from senior Bryce Larco.
Lebanon took their second, and last, lead of the game at 4:32.
With less than a minute left in the initial period, senior forward captain Braydon Atwood tied the game again, to finish the first period at 2-2.
From there, the Admirals controlled the ice, scoring two unanswered goals in the both of the final periods.
Atwood got his second of the game at 7:23 in the second, with an assist going to Briand.
Alvirne junior, Brandon Ganas got on the board with less than a minute left in the period, assisted by Dylan MacLeod and Brandon Callahan.
Five minutes into the final period, sophomore Evan Pargas made it 5-2, scoring on an assist from junior Chris Bozza.
The final goal of the game came from junior Mason Tomkins, at 7:22 in the third, with an assist going to senior assistant captain Ryan Ricard.
The Admirals were plagued by penalties throughout the game, getting five in the final period and nine total.
The LSM squad had had six total penalties, three in the third, two in the second and one to start the game.
Alvirne sophomore Mason Komarek was the winning goal tender.
In the team’s second game of the season, the Admiral seemed to be out of the contest late in the first period, allowing their St. Thomas Aquinas opponent to get ahead 4-0 before the second period.
Two of the four goals came on penalties, where AMHS had two in the first and second and a fifth in the third.
The Admirals only gave up one goal in the second period, but were unable to put any points on the board.
St. Thomas finished the game with three more goals in the final period for the eight-goal shutout.
The Admirals will try to rebound after the two-week holiday break when they travel to Oyster River (2-0) on Saturday, Jan. 4.
Oyster River started their year with wins against LSM and Dover.