California Cougars vs. Santa Clara Blackhawks

Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/104669030400304034890/VsSantaClaraNov062011?authkey=Gv1sRgCPLDzNbEotOt1QE

Writeup of Game on 11/6/11; 6-2 win over Santa Clara Blackhawks at San Jose East

Shura Boz had 2 goals and 2 assists, John Bohac contributed 4 points, and Carson Murison made 28 saves as the California Cougars extended its winning streak with a 6-2 win over the Santa Clara Blackhawks in a Bantam B game on Sunday, Nov. 6 in San Jose. The Cougars offense fired on all cylinders as 8 players figured in the scoring.

The Cougars took the lead 6:49 into the game when Daniel Schmidt hustled and intercepted a pass to set up a 3-on-2 with Erik West, who stickhandled and fired a pass to Adam Rosenduft and the fleet forward showed he was good with the wood as he flipped a forehand into the net.

Less than 7 minutes later Ryan Bockholt started a 2-on-1 break with Boz, who collected the nicely saucered pass and lit the red light for the 2-0 lead.

The Blackhawks cut the lead in half midway through the middle frame, but Kyle Tanaka pickpocketed the puck and poked it ahead, and Pace Farbstein was as cool as the other side of the pillow as he skated around the defense and lifted a forehand past the diving goalie to make it 3-1 with just :14.2 left in the period.

After gaining momentum heading into the intermission, and after rousing speeches from Assistant Coaches Devin Ernst and Christian de Jesus, the Cougars came out strong. It took only :06 for Boz to steal the puck and headman it to Bohac, who sent a wicked wrister higher over the goalie’s shoulder to make it 4-1.

Less than 4 minutes later Nash Berkowitz joined the party, and the Cougars’ leading scorer took feeds from Boz and Bohac and buried a forehand into the net from the left faceoff circle to run his goal-scoring streak to 4 games.

Bohac and Boz clicked again and the playmaker notched his third assist when Boz was able to find the twine with a long backhand that sneaked through the 5-hole for the team’s 6th goal, and the 4th points of the game for each.

The Cougars’ defense returned to form with Murison standing on his head to make a few stellar saves, with Max Frenkel stickhandling the puck out of harm’s way and Chase Bolling playing tough on both ends, taking 3 hard shots and stopping several more on defense. Tom Beebe broke up a couple of rushes with effective poke-checks, and Elliot Salazar made sure any scoring chances were only long-range attempts that were scooped up easily by Murison. On offense, Matthew Lydon and his line applied solid pressure throughout the game especially in the second period.

Coach Rob Tenore complimented the team’s effort in sticking to the system and containing the Blackhawks’ star forward (#12), who was only a factor in one point with 1:56 left that made the final score 6-2. The head coach remarked that the checking forwards’ slowed down the Blackhawks’ entries into the zone, and drove to the net more than in previous games.

Netminder Nick Gary noted that the Cougars’ defense was tougher in front of the net and forced mostly long shots that Murison gobbled up like Halloween candy. The Cougars now stand in 3rd place in the division with a 2-1-1 record, with 5 points.
 
Game notes: The Cougars went 0-1 on the Power Play but also killed its only penalty. The team was outshot 30-16 but scored on 38% of their attempts. Berkowitz won a team-high 12 faceoffs. Lydon and Rosenduft each won 6. Farbstein led the team with 5 hits and extended his goal-scoring streak to 3 games. The Killer Bs (Berkowitz, Bohac, Bolling and Boz) were each +4 on the game.
 
Editor’s Note: A post-Halloween, post-game conversation was overheard, but our fact-checkers were unable to corroborate it. It is believed that Coach Rob gives a TWIX candy bar to each player who scores a goal. Or it could be that for every goal the Cougars allow, the team has to buy Coach Rob a TWIX candy bar. Or maybe it’s that every penalized player has to give each kid on the team a TWIX bar. The first explanation is believed to be the players’ choice.
 
Next Game: Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2:45pm vs. Lake Tahoe B at Bridgepointe (note change in starting time)
 
Goals:
2: Boz (2)
1: Rosenduft (2), Farbstein (3), Bohac (2), Berkowitz (4)
 
Assists:
3: Bohac
2: Boz
1: Schmidt, West, Tanaka
 
Overall, after 4 games:
Goals:
4: Nash Berkowitz
3: Shura Boz, Pace Farbstein
2: John Bohac, Adam Rosenduft
1: Matthew Lydon
 
Assists:
4: John Bohac
3: Chase Bolling
2: Tom Beebe, Shura Boz, Matthew Lydon, Kyle Tanaka
1: Nash Berkowitz, Daniel Schmidt, Erik West