This game was a tale of two halves, in the simplest terms. Aside from the quick outpouring of goals by the FSU Falcons in the second period which ended up being the deciding sequence, the entire outlook just seemed different at a point. It was difficult for the MCLA Trailblazers to get meaningful penetration or even zone exits at times after the Falcons took control of possession and the pace of gameplay, as the Falcons hemmed MCLA in front of their own net a considerable amount after that sequence which eliminated the likelihood of a comeback after Fitchburg State urgently stormed back from a 2-0 deficit. This ultimately put starting Trailblazers netminder Mathew Gover in a position where he was forced to make 51 saves and face 30 shots on goal in the second period alone, according to the official stat box. An empty netter by Kristopher Zapata would ice the game, 5-2, with 47 seconds remaining.

However, it was quite satisfying to watch the Trailblazers’ performance when their strengths were on display. Gover is always going to impress with his reliability, positioning, and ability to track the puck, and tonight was no exception. Aside from his standard prowess, however, there were some other elements that stood out. While neither goal was scored off the rush, as MCLA is not really that sort of group on the attack, the team’s ability to tic-tac-toe looked very good when it was on. In this respect, I was very/perhaps most impressed by defenseman Shane Green (who tallied an apple in this game), whose prowess in his puck moving abilities combined with his solid physical attributes do remind me a fair bit of a defenseman from his favorite NHL team, Travis Sanheim of the Philadelphia Flyers. While these assessments hold true of the passing game in general, it was particularly noteworthy between zones. The ability to connect and make plays ultimately served them best in the offensive zone, however, given how the two goals were scored, with the biggest beneficiary being Cade Herrera, as the Californian-born forward used his fantastic shot to his advantage to deliver the game’s first two goals. Sean Schifferl, who has been fairly assessed as “quietly” leading the team in points (leading me to have compared him to former Bruins/Flyers/Capitals goal-scoring standout Mike Knuble in the respect of being able to be counted on for being a consistent offensive mainstay), impressed in this respect, as did Luke Rhoss, with both being credited for assists in this matchup. Easton Moore also tallied a helper while being 10/18 on the draw. Quinn Murphy also held his own at the dot, going 9/16. The biggest commendation, however, has to go to Charlie Addessa, who went 17/29, a very impressive mark for having had the most assignments and the most difficult ones.

A full 60 minute performance against UMass Dartmouth like what was displayed in the early phases against Fitchburg State could pull off a convincing victory. Ultimately, a very talented group overtook the game here, but one has to be impressed by the ceiling MCLA showed. If they can hit it continuously throughout the next game on Thursday, 2/1, the result will certainly go their way. Let us see what bench boss Jeremiah Ketts, his staff, and the playing group have in store for us next week.