The Briar Woods Varsity Ice Hockey team officially finished their regular season, ending in a loss against the Stone Bridge Bulldogs. With playoffs having been just around the corner, the team reflected on their performance over the past few games, and how they had been focused on fine-tuning their game. Their playoff hopes were dashed after losing their second game against Battlefield on Monday, Feb. 24.
Senior captain Hayden Leeds looks back on this season, sharing, “in the beginning, we didn’t connect as well as a team, so working off the ice has helped us bond and get to know each other better, so making these memories and friendships made it a great year, and I was really happy with our record in the end.”
Briar Woods faced off against the Stone Bridge Bulldogs on Friday, Feb. 7, leaving the rink with a 5-3 loss to end the regular season. The Bulldogs got off to an early lead, scoring three goals in the first period, with the Falcons scoring one goal in the first period to try and close the gap. Surprisingly, the first period was penalty-free, but that changed in the second. Stone Bridge extended their lead with another goal, bringing the score to 4-1, while also picking up two penalties. In the third period, Briar Woods made a valiant effort to claw their way back into the game, with freshman Louis Giglio V scoring two more goals and bringing the score to 4-3. However, Stone Bridge’s junior Jake Lauterstein, who scored all five of the Bulldogs’ goals, answered back with his fifth, solidifying their victory. The third period was a flurry of action and penalties, with the Falcons receiving three penalties and the Bulldogs receiving four. Despite a hard-fought game, the Falcons were unable to overcome the Bulldogs’ early lead, and the game ended in defeat.
Head Coach Hall commented on the Falcons’ loss against the Bulldogs, explaining, “Stone Bridge is a very talented team all throughout. They have superior coaching, and a lot of upperclassmen with experience in big games. That said, we hung with them every step of the way and it was a very close contest. We played them without one of our high scoring seniors and still made a game of it, [so] I was very happy with our effort.”
The Briar Woods Falcons started their postseason off strong, with a decisive victory over the Kettle Run Cougars on Friday, Feb. 21, securing an 11-3 win. From the start, the Falcons displayed a level of intensity and offensive dominance that proved too much for the Cougars to handle. The Falcons established an early lead, netting three goals to Kettle Run’s zero, despite Kettle Run managing 10 shots on goals to Briar Woods’ nine. The period also featured a pair of penalties, with the Cougars taking the first and the Falcons following shortly after. The second period saw Kettle Run find the net twice, but Briar Woods responded with four goals of their own, pushing the lead to 7-2. Despite being outshot 12-7 in the second, the Falcons’ efficiency proved superior. The period also saw both teams take a penalty each. In the third, Briar Woods fired 19 shots, scoring four more goals, while Kettle Run managed only one goal on five shots. The Falcons also picked up their third penalty of the game in the third period. The 11-3 final score showed the Falcons’ dominant offensive performance.
Coach Hall shared his thoughts on the team’s win, saying, “[it was] another slow start, but once we got our legs under us, we dominated from every area of the ice. Goaltending was strong, defense kept everyone outside, we controlled the neutral zone and we were dogs around the net.”
The Falcons’ postseason journey came to an end on Monday, Feb. 24, as they fell 6-2 to the Battlefield Bobcats. The Bobcats asserted their dominance early, netting two goals in the first period while holding the Falcons scoreless, despite outshooting them 15-8. The first period remained penalty-free, but the second saw Battlefield extend their lead with three more goals, bringing the score to 5-0. Junior Grant Leeds broke the shutout for the Falcons with a goal in the second, but Giglio V incurred a penalty for the team during the period. Battlefield continued their offensive pressure, outshooting the Falcons 14-10 in the second. In the third period, Briar Woods attempted a late rally, with senior Ryan Roper scoring a goal while matching Battlefield’s shot total of 14. However, the Bobcats added a final goal, sealing the 6-2 victory. The loss brought Briar Woods’ playoff run to a close, a stark contrast to their dominant performance in the previous game.
“I thought we could have played better, but I thought our goalie played really well. I think we didn’t come out full force, and that was a setback really early in the game that hindered our chances,” stated Leeds, one of the captains. “They had more people the second time compared to earlier [in the season when we played them], so they had more subs, more lines and more depth,” added Leeds.
Despite the abrupt end to their playoff run, the Falcons delivered a season of notable growth and achievement. Their resilience and dedication throughout the year assure a promising future for the team.
