Hockey Bulldogs Win First Playoff Game

While locals enjoyed the first sixty-plus degree day of this year, hockey fans indoors enjoyed an exciting three-periods of playoff hockey, watching the Bulldogs pull off a victory against a team that gave them their only tie in the regular season.

Freehold Boro, who always puts up a fight, came in hoping to finally best their Rumson-Fair Haven rivals, having lost one and tied one during regular season competition.  They fell three goals short, losing 5-2 in a game that featured three goals scored by dawg defensemen.

Scoring a double for the Bulldogs was Tim Pringle. He proudly said, "The first one I was in the right place at the right time. I was right on top of the crease.  That one was a backhand shot."

Pringle said it was his first two-goal game, which is an unusual feat for one whose main job is to prevent the other team from scoring. He described the excitement of his second goal.  "I heard the Coach shout, Shoot!  Shoot! so I just shot and it went in."

The other defenseman who got a goal was Hudson Corbett.  "I kind of stepped in," he described the goal. "And just took a shot and it went in.  Instinct, I guess. Or maybe just luck."

Holding the Colonials to only two goals was Bulldog goalie Dominic Padula.  "One was a penalty shot," the net-protector said. "The other one was a little slip up.  They really just got lucky on that second one."

Bulldog fans were numerous and boisterous as usual, spread out among the Armory's three main spectator areas.  Sitting above the ice in the 'Plastic seat section' was Lisa Wilson, Bulldog fan and mother of team member Luke Wilson.

"It's all about family involvement," she said during the break between periods.  "Spending time with the kids is the best part.  On this team everyone contributes, there's an equal spread of freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors.” She added that tem spirit is due to Coach McCafferty, “He's doing a great job.  He gets everyone in, but when they earn it."

Another RFH hockey mom, Janet Rotchford, whose twin boys Hunter and Dylan, a forward and goalie respectively, said, "This is really a great group of boys.  Not only on the ice, but off of it too."

Mrs. Rotchford, whose husband P.J. is the scorekeeper for RFH was referring to the volunteer work the team does to raise funds for their team, which is fully self-supporting.  "This Saturday they have a thing going on out at the Goldcoast Arena in Wall," she said.  "They volunteered for 'Hockey Across America.'  They help get kids involved and encourage them to try skating."

There was one bright moment for Freehold Boro's Colonials when, just after the start of the second period, they scored two goals within a minute to give hope to their fans, knotting the score at two goals apiece.  But the moment was short lived after the Bulldogs took back control of the game by scoring a pair of their own goals with just under four minutes remaining in the second period to extend their lead to 4-2.

Their last goal came a few minutes later with only seventeen seconds left in the same period.

Both team's goalies finished with a strong third period, holding each other scoreless for the entire third and final period.  The dogs exceeded fifty shots on goal for the game while holding the opposition to only seventeen.

"Anytime you get over fifty shots in it's a really good game," said Head Coach Chris McCafferty.  "So we're happy with the wi