The Powers Catholic Chargers Varsity hockey team opened the 2019-2020 home season at Iceland Arena with an impressive 8-4 victory over the Griffins of Fenton/Linden. The Charges took the lead less than 3 minutes into the contest when Powers Junior, Tyler Lawrence, snuck a shot past Griffins goalie, Loren Jones. That lead didn’t last when Griffins Junior, Jesse Bittner, tied the game 3 minutes later. Powers would counter with three more goals, one, an unassisted powerplay goal by Junior, Alex Washburn, which ended the scoring in the first 4-1.  Powers outshot the Griffins 13 -5 in the first period.  The game was dominated by the power line of Joey Carpenter (2 goals-2 assists), Tyler Lawrence (2 goals, 3 assists), and  Jacques Lavrack (2 assists) along with defensemen Alex Washburn (3 goals) accounted for 14 of the 18 points accumulated in the game for the Chargers. Kyle Barbour also had 1 goal and 2 assists in the contest.

The second period was lack-luster by both teams evident by sloppy play, less energy and several penalties: Teams traded tripping penalties, first by Powers Senior Tommy Shubeck, then by the Griffins Sophomore Nick Temple, neither teams scored on the man advantage.  Then Powers took a ‘too many men’ on the ice penalty and Griffins Senior, Brendan Miles, capitalized cutting the Powers lead 4-2.  Powers would take another penalty, this time for roughing less than two minutes later, but the Griffins failed to score.  Powers found the momentum toward the end of the second period and extended the lead with goals by Lawrence and Senior, Joey Carpenter, ending the second period at 6-2. Shots were even in the second at 8 each.

Any chance of the Griffins getting back into the game pretty much ended when Powers Freshman, Kyle Barbour, snapped a power play goal past the Griffins goalie less than two minutes into the third session.  Each team traded two goals in the third period.  Powers defenseman, Alex Washburn, added his third goal of the game with a power play goal with less than nine minutes left in the contest.  Griffins Sophomore,  Wright, added one and Freshman Carson Gardner closed out the scoring with five minutes left in the contest which would end 8-4. Powers outshot the Griffins in the third 10-5. 

Powers Coach Travis Perry commented that his squad had great energy in the first period, but that energy dropped off in the second.  Our guys played well but we have to learn to keep our feet moving for three periods.