End of the road
No. 4 Burrillville scored just one goal in its two-game series defeat to Hogan Nelson and No. 5 Smithfield.
SMITHFIELD — Much to his chagrin, Burrillville hockey coach David Farrell proved to be prophetic.
Prior to the start of the No. 4 Broncos’ Division I quarterfinal series against No. 5 Smithfield, Farrell pointed out two areas of concern. He was worried about his team’s anemic power play and he knew Smithfield senior goalie Hogan Nelson was a playoff-tested netminder who has stolen more than a few victories for the Sentinels in his three seasons in net.
Nelson pitched a shutout Friday night at Levy Rink, and Saturday the Broncos’ power play let them down. Burrillville wasted a pair of power-play opportunities in each period and the Sentinels skated away with a series sweep when junior Dylan Falls scored a power-play goal just 2:24 into the final period of a 2-1 victory at the Smithfield Municipal Rink.
“You have to score more than one win games, putting the puck in the net is something that’s haunted us at different times this year. It’s been a struggle,” Farrell said. “In six periods we gave up three goals to these guys, which is normally pretty good, but it’s all relative. If you don’t put the puck in the net it, doesn’t matter.”
Burrillville believed for the first time in 30 seasons this was the campaign they were going to advance to the state semifinals after earning a regular-season win over No. 1 seed Bishop Hendricken and hammering Smithfield, 4-0, in February. But, the series got off to a bad start when Nelson made 39 saves and Pearce McCullogh scored the only goal of the game 4:45 into the final period.
Junior goalie Dylan Nault didn’t play at Nelson’s level during the series, but he was superb for the Broncos. Nault made 20 saves Friday night and he made a handful of saves in the first and second periods Saturday night to keep his team in the game.
Farrell said prior to Saturday’s game that scoring the first goal would be paramount. After a scoreless first period, the Broncos took their only lead of the series when sophomore Ryan Boutiette’s hard work in front of Nelson’s net created a chance for sophomore Ryan Deschamps to finish at 3:36 of the period.
Both teams had power-play opportunities over the next six minutes, but it was the Sentinels who tied the game on an even-strength goal when McCullough netted his second of the series. Ryan Pomposelli and Rafael Negron earned assists on the goal that sent the teams to intermission tied for the second straight night.
“That tying goal was a tough one,” Farrell said. “We didn’t have an aggressive back check and we left a guy open at the top of the slot and he didn’t miss. I felt like we had the momentum right then and there because we had a power play. I was saying on the bench, ‘Guys we need to get the next one. If we can go up 2-0 going into the break we’d be in good shape.’”
Just 2:24 into the third period, the Sentinels scored the series-winning goal when Falls slapped a shot on the ice that when through the skates of a Burrillville player and past Nault at his right post for a power-play goal.
Unless a number of the Broncos’ underclassmen opt to leave the program for a prep school or junior hockey, they should be a formidable opponent next season with a veteran goalie and a number of talented players who experienced varsity hockey for the first time this season all returning.
“I just told the kids that I’m proud of the group. The effort, enough and fight was never an issue,” Farrell said. “We were a little snake bitten when it comes to burying the puck. You have to score goals, that’s how it goes.” Burrillville 0 1 0 –1
Smithfield 0 1 1–2
First period – No scoring.
Second period – B, Ryan Deschamps (Ryan Boutiette), 3:36; S, Pearce McCullough (Ryan Pomposelli, Rafael Negron), 9:44.
Third period – S, Dylan Falls (unassisted), pp, 2:24.