California Cougars vs Oakland Bears

Photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/104669030400304034890/VsOaklandBearsOct222011?authkey=Gv1sRgCNS-07jo4bujTQ

California Cougars claim first victory with 4-3 win over Oakland Bears
 
A third period goal by Shura Boz and some late defensive heroics propelled the California Cougars to a 4-3 win over Oakland Bears in a Bantam B contest on Saturday, Oct. 22. Goalie Nick Gary made several sprawling saves in the last 2:00 to help preserve the team’s first victory.

After a scoreless first period in which the visiting Cougars outshot the Bears 10-3, Pace Farbstein mucked along the boards to keep the puck deep in the Bears’ zone and Matthew Lydon won the race to the rubber in the far corner then fired a perfect centering pass to Farbstein, who redirected it high to the back of the net. Less than 2 minutes later the special teams unit contributed big time. On the penalty kill, Kyle Tanaka applied the pressure and found Nash Berkowitz in the slot, and the big center converted by lifting the puck over the goalie’s blocker for the 2-0 lead.

A defensive lapse enabled the Bears to cut the lead in half, but John Bohac restored the 2-goal lead when he scored a 5-hole goal off a feed from Berkowitz.

The lead was short-lived as the Bears struck for two quick scores, first on a scramble in front of the net and :34 later on a screened shot from the blueline that sidelined netminder Carson Murison said Gary never had a chance to see, though the nimble goalie did manager to save 21 of 24 shots on the game.
With 9:30 remaining in the game, blueliner Tom Beebe headmanned the puck to Boz, who lugged the rubber up the rink and finished the play in style to make it 4-3 in favor of the Cougars.

Chase Bolling just barely failed to extend the lead as he clanged one just off the post and Ryan Bockholt was denied in some scoring chances.
Erik West won 10 of 14 faceoffs, including several  key puck drops down the stretch. Adam Rosenduft won 60 percent of his faceoffs, and Max Frenkel staunchly held the blueline in the offensive zone, while Elliot Salazar broke up a couple of passes and Daniel Schmidt backchecked effectively as the team regrouped late to close out the Bears.

Coach Rob Tenore applauded the prowess of the Cougars’ penalty kill, as the lines not only killed off both infractions, but recorded Berkowitz’s shorthanded goal as well, as the team moved to 1-1-1 on the season.
 
Game notes: Berkowitz went 14-4 in faceoffs and extended his goal-scoring streak to 3 games. Beebe, Bolling, Boz, Farbstein and Lydon each were credited with a team-high 3 hits in the physical game. The Cougars were 0-1 on the powerplay but had several good shots. The team won the last 10 faceoffs of the contest. The Cougars outshot their opponents for the first time, 27-24, but it seemed even more one-sided.
 
Goals: Pace Farbstein (2), Nash Berkowitz (3), John Bohac (1), Shura Boz (1)
Assists: Matthew Lydon (2), Kyle Tanaka (1), Nash Berkowitz (1), Tom Beebe (2)
 
Next Game: Sunday, Nov.  6, 2011 at 3:00pm vs. the Santa Clara Blackhwaks at the San Jose E. Rink (Sharks Ice at San Jose, 1500 S. Tenth St., SJ, CA 95112).
 
Plus / Minus
+2:  Tanaka, Bolling, Berkowitz
+1:  Salazar, Schmidt, Boz, Bohac, West
  0:  Frenkel, Beebe
-1:   Bockholt
-2:  Rosenduft, Farbstein, Lydon
 
Overall, after 3 games:
Goals:
3: Nash Berkowitz
2: Pace Farbstein
1: Matthew Lydon, Adam Rosenduft, John Bohac, Shura Boz
 
Assists:
3: Chase Bolling
2: Matthew Lydon, Tom Beebe
1: John Bohac, Kyle Tanaka, Nash Berkowitz