The Wayland Warriors hockey team lost a close game to the Patriots of Concord Carlisle this past Saturday. The Warriors, handcuffed by 9 penalties, lost 2-0, with the Patriots scoring both their goals on Concord power plays.

Prior to the game coach Phil Bateman gave his team motivation by telling them CC doubted their ability to dethrone the kings of Division 3 hockey. Before the game senior Mike Backman shared some words of wisdom with the young Warriors. “If you don’t have intensity right now don’t walk through that locker room door.”

The bigger and deeper CC, one of the best Division 3 teams in the state, came out flying against the Warriors, but Wayland refused to back down. Vocal leader and senior captain Sean Haffey kept the boys’ spirits up in the locker room during both intermissions.

However, the Warriors, lead by sophomore goalie Cogan Register who recorded 28 saves in the game, could not find a way to put the puck in the CC net. They came very close twice on two great opportunities from junior Peter Sullivan. Sullivan came painfully close on one shot when the puck sailed past the goalie but nailed the post and ricocheted out.

The physical play of the Warriors came from every corner. Sophomore defensemen E.J Nichols and Zach Bastarache delivered some bone crushing hits on CC attackers. Seniors Joe O’Brien and Sean Haffey also brought the pain on CC defensemen trying to break the puck out of the zone.

The physicality even came from an unlikely source, as freshman Carson Hart fought through hit after hit to knock some Patriots around. Even though the Warriors fell to the Patriots on this past Saturday, there was a bright side to it.

Any time you keep a game with Concord Carlisle close it is an accomplishment, but playing almost 14 minutes down a man and only letting in two goals is amazing.

Said Bateman after the game, “With our team playing CC right out of the gate as their first game, I’m impressed by the way they played. I’ll tell you they better be ready when we face them in Concord.”

The Warriors will face Dracut Wednesday night at 7:40 at New England Sports Center in Marlboro, as they try to get back on the road to the tournament.