STORRS, Conn. -- It had been a back-and-forth game through two-and-a-half periods. But then Iain Olsen (Vergennes, Vt.) brought the puck over the blue line and readied to shoot.
The Kimball Union senior forward unloaded a laser that beat Berkshire senior goalie Kyle Bolduc (Bolton, Conn.) over the blocker.
Kimball Union never looked back, winning, 5-3, over Berkshire for the Small School championship. It's the second straight season the Wildcats have won a championship — head coach Tim Whitehead's team won the Elite 8 last season.
The scoring started midway through the first period when junior forward Josh Phillips knocked in a shot at the top of the crease, making it 1-0 Kimball Union.
Berkshire responded with just under two minutes to play in the second period. On the power play, senior Sacred Heart commit Duncan Thompson darted for the net and dished a pass across to sophomore forward Jonah Rainisch.
That set the stage for a weird and wild second period.
Just 35 seconds in, Berkshire junior defenseman Harrison McLean rifled in a one-timer to give his team a 2-1 lead. Minutes later, Berkshire senior defenseman Josh Williams (Boxford, Mass.) went to make a pass out of his own zone, but it ricocheted off his defense partner's skate and past Bolduc, making it 2-2. Phillips was the last to touch it and got credit for the goal.
The Wildcats capitalized on that momentum. It started with postgrad forward Zach Phillips scoring on a one-timer. Senior forward Corwith Simmers followed with a goal three minutes later off a terrific passing play with linemates Merrimack commit CJ Watroba (West Springfield, Mass.) and Olsen.
Kimball Union looked destined to head to the second intermission up 4-2, but Rainisch notched his second of the game off a face-off, cutting the Wildcats' lead to 4-3 entering the third.
QUICK TAKEAWAYS
1. Was Kimball Union's top line of Simmers, Watroba and Olsen as flashy as last year's top trio of Jack Sadowski (Arlington, Mass.), Sam LeDrew and Simmers? No, but the current group got the job done on Sunday. Simmers' goal showcased the chemistry of those three and Olsen's snipe put the game away for Kimball Union. Watroba didn't find the back of the net, but he did have several chances.
2. Kimball Union senior defenseman Nick Evans had a fantastic game. His shutdown abilities were exactly what Kimball Union needed in a game against a fast, high-flying Berkshire team. Evans had two big plays down the stretch. The first came late in the second period when he was defending the front of the net. The puck was going to Berkshire senior forward Deven Hikspoors and he had an open net, but Evans clamped down on his stick, preventing a likely goal. The other was early in the third period when he got a stick on a pass from Thompson to Rainisch that would've resulted in a breakaway. The Malden, Mass., native picked a great day for a dominant performance.
3. This didn't end up being a goalie duel. KUA senior Blake McMeniman (Revere, Mass.) was good, while Bolduc had an up-and-down game. But this ended up being about the offenses. Bolduc finished his prep career with a sub-2.00 GAA and led his team to the Large School championship. McMeniman ends his career with an Elite 8 and a Small School title.
4. Thompson was impossible to miss. He picked the perfect time to dish the pass to Rainisch for the goal. Earlier in the first, he put a shot off the post. The speed and force he played with helped drive play and create opportunities for his linemates. He's committed to Sacred Heart and was one of the best players in prep.
5. By no means was the own-goal why Berkshire lost, but it was the turning point. The Bears looked stunned and never led from that point.
