The Highlanders’ Huge Second Period

by Harrison Todd Harwood

On Friday, January 10th The Gunnery Boys Hockey team took down the Canterbury Saints with a resounding 7-1 victory for The Highlanders. 

Despite a strong defensive performance in the first period— the Highlanders were able to hold off two of Canterbury’s power plays—the game did not seem to be going in the home team’s favor. With minimal shots on net and a subdued student section, The Gunnery ended the first 18 minutes down after Canterbury’s goal scored by #21 Jack McCluskey. 

The second period was a different story, however. Alex Jefferies ‘20 came out of the gates aggressively, tying the game on a crowded net. Then, in the blink of an eye, the puck was dropped and Mark D’Agastino ‘20 scored the Highlanders’ second of the night, and the crowd erupted as the entire student section rushed to the glass in celebration. 

With six minutes left in the second period, Matteo Giampa ‘21 made the goalie fall as he found the net on a confused Saints’ defense, increasing the lead to two goals. Shortly after, while the Highlanders had a man in the box creating a power play for the Saints, Mark D’Agastino created the opportunity for a second goal for himself, which made the score 4-1 with three minutes left in the period. 

D’Agastino’s contribution of two goals in the second period gave the Highlanders a confident lead midway through the game and unleashed the rest of the team’s offense. Twenty seconds after The Gunnery’s fourth goal—and while the Highlanders were still a man down—Alex Jefferies slapped a shot into the top corner with a snipe off a faceoff, making it 5-1. After a scuffle between the teams with a little over a minute left in the period, Dane Dowiak ‘20 scored the Highlanders’ sixth goal of the night.

Just like that, the game turned into a rout. After a significantly dominant second period, The Gunnery added one more to the board in the third when Alex Jefferies completed a hat trick for the evening. 

Despite a slow start to the game, the Highlanders’ second period exhibited their offensive capabilities as they put on a clinic for the Canterbury Saints.