The Kings might have struck first, but in the end it was the Pics who reigned supreme Saturday night after the Pics scored four unanswered goals, two of them being special teams goals, as the Pics defeated the Kings 4 - 2 in a penalty filled game.

The Kings stuck first just under 10 minutes into the 1st period when Jack Garland put one in between the pipes and into the net. The Kings then scored again when one of the Kings top forwards Drew Arpin scored against Pics goaltender Matthew Jonas.

Jonas then settled down and the forwards went to work.

Oliver Cookson was able to get the Pics on the board first while on the power play at the 9:12 mark of the 2nd period when Oliver Cookson was able to deflect a shot from Andrii Levtuhkov from the point to make it 2 - 1.  Matthew Tullo got the secondary assist.

Matt Pelletier got his first goal of the season, which happened to be the game winning goal when he was able to put in the puck on the 3rd attempt in a quick flurry of shots as the Kings goaltender was down across the mouth of the goal and he was able to put it top shelf. Chase Reynolds got the last shot in before Pelletier was able to convert and Xavier Erickson also contributed to the flurry as the initial shooter.

Matthew Jonas stopped 32 out of 34 shots for the win, while Kings goaltender Scott Barnikow stopped 32 out of 36 shots for the loss.

The Premier squad fell to the Kings 3 - 1 Friday afternoon after a tough matchup.

After a scoreless period, the Kings were able to put two goals in during the 2nd period, and one in the 3rd period.

Owen Stacey was able to spoil the shutout for the Kings in the waining minutes of regulation when he was able to tip in the rebound from Julian Perino while on the power play.

Wyatt Friedlander stopped 30 out of 33 shots in the loss for the Pics.

The U16, Elite and Premier Pics teams faced opponents this past weekend. Below is a recap of what happened:

U16
The U16 squad continued their 4 game unbeaten streak with a tie on Saturday against a tough South Shore Kings team 3 - 3, and then slamming the door on them on Sunday 2 - 0 in a penalty filled game.

On Saturday, Zack Fox scored all three goals against the Kings, with scoring the tying goal with just 30 seconds to spare in regulation with the extra attacker on the ice. Coleson Hanrhan had two assists, and Chris Foster and Ilya Zhuravlev each had an assist in Saturday's game. Pics goaltender John Hanscom stopped 40 shots.

On Sunday, it was a different story as Nick Disanti scored what would be game winning goal at the 8 minute mark into the 2nd period, with assists from Brigham Dubey and Coleson Hanrahan.
Dubey put in the insurance goal two minutes later with assists from Fox and Disanti. Ray Picard recorded his first career shutout as he stopped all 36 shots he faced.

Elite
Dom Balboni notched his 100 career point in this weekend's series of games as the Elite squad went 1 - 2. He also extended his point streak to 6 games.

On Friday, it was three unanswered goals in the 3rd period that brought the visiting Bruins' to victory as they defeated the Pics 5 - 2. Pics goaltender Garret Woodruff stopped 41 out of 46 shots in the loss. Dom Balboni and Nick Disanti both scored for the Pics, with Matt Kennedy and Bryce St. Martin each with an assist.

On Saturday, it was two goals from the Islanders that swung momentum the wrong way as the Pics fell to the Islanders 3 - 1. Dylan Taylor scored with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation. Dom Balboni got the lone assist. Elijah Rapaport stopped 46 out of 49 shots in the loss.

Sunday was a different story as the Pics stole one on back from the Bandits 5 - 4 in overtime.

The first period was all Bruins, and it looked like the Bruins were going to run away with the game with three unanswered goals, but the Pics said no, and answered with 4 unanswered goals, three of them in a period of 2 minutes (one being a penalty shot, as Timofey Basarab was brought down on his way to scoring a goal).

Zach Shupe got the ball rolling when he was able to put back in his own rebound after receiving a pass from Mike Penna. Matt Kennedy got the secondary assist.

Dom Balboni potted his first goal of the night when he received a tape-to-tape pass from Simon Banas, and broke down the length of the ice, getting a close in shot on Bandits goaltender Josh Chausse. It rebounded off him and sneaked in the back of the net to make it 3 - 2.

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​Basarab then converted on his penalty shot attempt when he was able to put it between the legs of the goaltender.

Dom Balboni then made it 4 goals in the period when he was able to get the rebound attempt from Sean Ferus after Balboni passed it to Ferus who initially didn't get it into the net.

​The Bruins then pressed hard and tied the game up with just under 2 minutes remaining when Dean Mason was able to get the puck past Schnoop
Paud O'Brien then returned the favor in OT when he was able to put in a rebound goal from Balbont. Mike Penna got the secondary assist.

Schnoop stopped 23 out of 27 shots for the win.

PREMIER
The Premier squad also went 1 - 2 on the weekend, defeating the South Shore Kings 8 - 3 on Thursday, then falling to the Jr Bandits 2 - 1 on Friday, and to the Junior Bruins 4 - 1 on Saturday.

Friday's game, it was the Pics scoring two goals in the 1st period, that started to swing the momentum the Pics' way as Matthew Tullo and Matthew Kowal each got goals in the first period. Oliver Cookson, Cam Gaylor, Matt Pelletier and Timofey Basarab each got assists in the 1st period.

The Kings then spoiled the shutout towards the end of the 1st period with a goal from Drew Arpin.

Nico Rodrigues, Connor Matthews, and Connor O'Brien each got goals in the 2nd period, with Cookson (2), Tullo, Basarab, Nicholas Lopes, and Chase Reynolds each getting assists.

CJ Smith for the Kings got their final goal of the game with just 3 minutes remaining in the 2nd.

Levtuhkov, Kowal, and Stacey all did their part in slamming the door on the Kings in the 3rd period, each scoring a goal. Bouchard, Tullo, Balboni, Perino, Rodrigues, and Moorhouse each scored assists in the 3rd period.

Matthew Jonas stopped 20 out of 23 shots in the win.

On Friday, the Pics fell to the Bandits, who stole one in OT 2 - 1.

Brian Scnindler from the Bandits scored just 4 minutes into the game.

Matthew Kowal scored early into the 2nd period when he received a tape to tape pass from Chase Reynolds. Kyle Nelson got the secondary assist.

Connor O'Brien got send to the bin with just over 10 seconds remaining in regulation, and the Bandits convered on the power play just 18 seconds into the overtime period when Jace Rearic scored. Wyatt Friedlander stopped 28 out of 30 shots in the loss.

On Saturday, The Pics struck first, but it was the Bruins who had the last laugh as they scored 4 unanswered goals to defeat the Pics, 4 - 1.
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Felix Appelt scored the Pics only goal just under 3 minutes into the game, with assists from Andrii Levtuhkov and Nicholas Lopes. Pics Goaltender Matthew Jonas stopped 32 out of 36 shots in the loss.

The Pics are rolling into Thursday on a two game winning streak, facing a visiting South Shore Kings team who lost against the Junior Bruins on Wednesday 3 - 2 after three unanswered Bruins goals.

Among some of the players the Pics should watch for from the Kings, is Drew Arpin, who is sporting a 1.2 goals a game. Luke Dow though has played in every single Kings game, and is sporting a half point a game.

The Pics though, have played many more games than the Kings, and are sporting five players with more than 10 points, two of them score a little over a point a game, Oliver Cookson and Owen Stacey.

Couple other players to watch for are Cam Gaylor, who has 10 assists in 13 games (and leads the Pics' defensive corps in points), and Pics rookie Matthew Tullo.

The Premier squad will then face the Bandits on Friday, as well as the Junior Bruins on Saturday.

The Springfield Pics Premier were out for vengeance after their 7 – 2 loss on Friday afternoon, and the they were able to get it via the hands of the Islanders Hockey Club, as Pics goaltender Wyatt Friedlander obtained his first shutout as the Pics were victorious 3 – 0 on Saturday afternoon.

Connor O’Brien struck first for the Pics shortly after a faceoff in which the Pics won.
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Matthew Tullo took the faceoff and dished it back to Nick Foster. The Pics briefly lost the puck but O’Brien faked his shot, and drop passed it back to Foster, who passed it through to Oliver Cookson. Cookson soft passed it off to Tullo and took a quick shot. Hahn blocked it and the rebound went right to O’Brien’s stick and was able to deposit it into the back of the goal at the 10:58 mark in to the first.

The Pics insurance goal came while being on the short hand due to an interference call on Matthew Kowal.
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Lopes was set up for the draw and won the dual. He was able to dish it off to Andrii Levtuhkov who quickly shot it into the net making it 2- 0. Nick Foster was credited with the secondary assist.

​The Pics were able to convert on a power play opportunity about halfway through the 3rd period. The Pics started on their end of the ice. Cam Gaylor started from behind the Pics net and dished it off to Chase Reynolds. Reynolds went coast to coast and took an initial shot at Nepveu which was blocked. Reynolds obtained his own rebound and went “where mom keeps the cookies” to make it 3 – 0.

Friedlander stood tall and stopped all 33 shots he faced for the win. Dean Hahn for the Islanders stopped 20 out of 22 shots, and William Nepveu stopped 13 shots out of 14.

The Premier Squad dropped their first game in regulation on the 23rd, 4 – 2 down at Chelsea Piers arena against the Connecticut Junior Rangers.

The Pics struck first early in the 1st period when Chase Reynolds was able to slip the puck past Rangers goaltender Benjamin Hathaway low stick side after a Pics player was tripped in the process of taking a shot. Julian Perino and Matthew Kowal were credited with the assists.

The Rangers then had three unanswered goals which threw the momentum their way in the 2nd period.

Reynolds scored again at almost the same point time wise in the 3rd period when the Pics were able to put the puck in the back of the net glove side shortly after the power play ended as the Pics were pressuring the Rangers. Reynolds was set up right in front of the net and was able to put a one-timer into the back in an attempt to get the Pics back into the game.

​The Rangers put the game out of reach six minutes later when they made it 4 – 2.
Pics goaltender Matthew Jonas stopped 32 out of 36 shots, while Rangers goaltender stopped 39 out of 41 shots in the win.

​The Premier Squad had to go to overtime today, but skated away victorious 5 – 4 in front of a faithful crowd.
The Monarchs struck first just under 7 minutes into the first period when Matias Alexandrov caught a pass from John Rynee who made it 1 – 0.

​Owen Stacey even the score just two minutes later when he got the pass from Nico Rodrigues, who then drove down the stick side of the rink and got a couple close in shots against Timothy Young but was able to deposit one into the back of the net and made it 1 – 1. Matt Pelletier got the secondary assist.

Matias Alexandrov was able to make it 2 – 1 with just 3 minutes remaining on the power play when he was able to get one past Friedlander on the power play.
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Oliver Cookson was able to tie it up just past the half way point of the game when Oliver Cookson set himself up for a pass from Timofey Basarab when Basarab received the pass from Matthew Tullo. Basarab slowed down enough to make Young commit to Basarab who then passed it off to Cookson who deposited it in the net.

Devin Rohrich was able to make it 3 – 2 just two minutes later when he got a pass from Tanner Hartman and was able to put it between Friedlander’s legs.

Sawyer Smith made it 4 – 2 when he got a pass from Tyson Springer just under 3 minutes into the 3rd period.
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Andrii Levtuhkov started the swing of the momentum the Pics way just past the half way point in the 3rd period when he drove himself right in front of the net, and drew Young down and put the puck up top shelf making it 4 – 3. Stacey and Matt Pelletier got the assists on the power play.

​​Ryan Moorhouse tied the game up with just 2 minutes remaining in regulation when the Monarchs turned the puck over behind their own net and Moorhouse was able to get the puck, and evened up the game. Rodrigues and Stacey got the assists.

​Nicholas Lopes ended the game with just over 2 minutes elapsed into the overtime period when he was able to finish up the save of the night from Friedlander, who was then able to get the puck off to Levthukov. Levthukov was then able to get the puck off to Julian Perino, who dished it off to Lopes who drove down the wing and went top shelf against Young.

​Young stopped 30 out of 35 shots in the loss, making his record 2 – 1 – 1. Friedlander stopped 20 out of 24 shots in the win, making his record 2 – 0.

The Springfield Pics face the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs today at noon time. The Monarchs are currently in the middle of the New England Division with a record of 2 – 4 , while the Pics are sitting up in 2nd place with a record of 4 – 0 – 1 .

The Monarchs are currently ranked 9th in the league on the power play, with a 41.7% conversion rate, and the Pics are ranked 12th, with a 36.4% conversion rate.

On the penalty kill, the Pics are 17th in the league with 87.5% on preventing scoring, and the Monarchs are 66.7%. The Pics do have 1 short handed goal while on the penalty kill.

The Monarchs have one player who is averaging one point a game, Tyson Springer at 3 goals and 4 assists.

The Pics though, have six players who are averaging at least a point a game; Oliver Cookson, Connor O’Brien, Matthew Tullo, Owen Stacey, Matthew Pelletier, and Cam Gaylor.
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The Premier’s next game is against the Connecticut Junior Rangers tomorrow at 1pm.

 The Pics struck down the Thunder Thursday afternoon 5 - 3 in front of a faithful crowd in Hampden, CT. 

Nico Rodrigues opened up the scoring in the waining minutes of the game while the Pics just got on the shorthand when he and Owen Stacey went on a 2 on 1 breakaway in which Stacey fed Rodrigues the pass, and toe-dragged it causing Thunder goalie Owen Przbylo to pause which gave Rodrigues the ability to put the puck top shelf. Cam Gaylor was credited with the secondary assist.

 Rodrigues lit the lamp again in the opening minutes of the second period when he got the feed again from his line-mate Stacey as he crashed the net with Stacey going down the left wing. Nick Foster got the secondary assist.
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Timofey Basarab made it 3 - 0 just a few second later when he was able to break clean away from the defense and went one on one along the left wing and was able to shoot a lightning of a shot past Przybylo.

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Oliver Cookson got what ended up to be the game-winning-goal just past the half way mark in regulation on the power-play when he was able to poke it home after a small rebound in front of the net. Basarab and O'Brien got credited with the assists.

Moorhouse got the insurance goal exactly two minutes later when Perino got the dish from Stacey and tried shooting it in. Moorhouse got the rebound and was able to stuff it in to seal the deal.

Twin City tried getting back in it scoring two unanswered goals, but couldn't swing the momentum their way.

Veteran Pics goaltender Matthew Jonas stopped 28 out of 31 shots in the win, while Thunder goalie Owen Przybylo stopped 43 out of 48 shots for the loss.

The Pics next regularly scheduled opponent are the New Hampshire Monarchs on Thursday, October 22nd, but is subject to change. If that game is postponed, the Pics will then face the Connecticut Junior Rangers on Friday, October 23rd at 1pm.