Bears Return From Prep Tourney Out East
By Nick Clark
Sun Newspapers
(Created: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:04 PM CST)
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John Hamre openly admits he didn't want to give Blake boys hockey his team any nights off on its schedule this year.
The coach was successful, as Blake's schedule rivals any in the state in terms of competitiveness, but there was hitch.
Hamre wanted to reward the teams, so he found a way to knock off two birds with a single stone. Blake headed east last week for a three game set against some of the top prep schools on that side of the country. The teams Blake was playing were older, more experience and extremely talented, but three games and a pair of overtimes later, the Bears came home happy.
"We wanted to expose them to some really good hockey," Hamre said. "And they responded. For the most part, I was really happy with the way we played, especially in the third periods."
Blake opened the Phillips Exeter Holiday Hockey Tournament in Exeter, N.H., with Governor Dummer Academy. The Bears wound up losing the game 1-0, but Hamre found plenty of reasons to be happy with his teams performance.
"That was the best team we played," Hamre said. "And we hung in there. Kent Patterson played exceptional."
Patterson, a sophomore, turned away 32 shots in the Blake goal.
Tyler Ostman took his turn in goal the next day against Tilton School. The senior stopped 25 shots as Blake rallied from a 3-1 third period deficit to earn a 3-3 draw.
Jordan Seivold and Chris Murray each scored in the games final five minutes to even the score.
The next afternoon, Blake jumped out to a 4-1 first period lead on Wyoming Seminary, but gave up three second period goals and ended up settling for a 4-4 tie.
"We had a tremendous first period, but we let up in the second," Hamre said. "We figured it was over, but they are an older team and they played like it, they knew the game wasn't over. I was proud of the way we played in the third though. We responded and took back the momentum."
Hamre took the team out to dinner in Boston Saturday night before flying home Sunday. The Bears will be back in action Dec. 28 when they play host to the Bob Nelson Holiday Tournament.
After that, Blake starts a stretch where six of its next eight games will come on the road that will wrap with a home game against Shattuck-St. Mary's, a prep school from Fairbault similar to the ones the Bears were pitted against last weekend.
"We really don't have any nights off," Hamre said. "I wanted it that way. We will have to be prepared every night."
Reprinted with permission Sun Newspapers
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