Black Bears Team Places 2nd In Amherst TournamentBy Leigh Harrington
Community Submission
02:17PM / Wednesday, January 18, 2012
AMHERST, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Black Bear Squirt (ages 10 and under) hockey team placed second in the Western Massachusetts Freeze-Out tournament last weekend.
The tournament began Friday against the Bear's long-standing rivals, the Blue Knights from Saratoga, N.Y. After an intense two periods with neither side finding the back of the net, Saratoga tallied the first goal with just over 2 minutes left in the game. But with 50 seconds left, Black Bear Omar Uqdah retaliated with a score of his own to end the game in a tie.
Uqdah was assisted by Toby Ellingwood. Black Bear goalie Tucker Beaudoin was named the team's player of the game.
Saturday morning the Black Bears beat the North Stars from Woonsocket, R.I., by a score of 5-4. Ethan Paligo led the Bears with all five goals. Paligo was assisted by Uqdah, Danny Hunt, Finn Ellingwood and Chase Vanderwoude.
The Black Bears secured a trip to the championship game Saturday afternoon by defeating Ludlow 9-2. Paligo led the way with four goals, Ellingwood with three goals and an assist, and Uqdah and Matt DiGernnaro both chipped in with a goal and an assist. Also with assists were Ethan Sweet, Connor Cirullo and Finn Ellingwood.
Sunday morning's championship game was a rematch with the Blue Knights and Saratoga took home the championship with a 6-1 win. For the Black Bears, Paligo, assisted by Uqdah and Hunt, scored the team's only goal.
The USA Hockey-sanctioned event was put on by the Amherst Hockey Association at the Mullin Sports Complex on the University of Massachusetts campus.
So far this season, every Northern Berkshire Black Bear player has scored a goal and an assist and the team is outscoring opponents, 117-82. The Bear's next game will be at noon on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink.
Northern Berkshire players: Paligo, Toby Ellingwood, Uqdah, Vanderwoude, Hunt, Matt DiGernnaro, Tyler Pettit, Sweet,Cirullo, Tucker Beaudoin, and Finn Ellingwood. Coaches are Guy Cariddi, Bob Sweet and Kevin Ellingwood.
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