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Toohey (hat trick), Timberlane dump Windham-Pelham

SALEM — Slow starts have plagued Timberlane all season, and yesterday’s Blue Devil Classic game at the Icenter against Windham-Pelham was a prime example.
Both the Division 2 Owls and Division 3 Wolfpack were listless and passive through an opening 16 minutes of play. But instead of staring down a three- or four-goal deficit as in earlier contests, the Owls were involved in a 1-1 tie. And after killing off a 5-on-3 disadvantage over 1:22 early in the middle frame, allowing only one shot, Timberlane grabbed all the momentum needed to run away for a 7-2 victory.
“Three guys out there helping out, kind of bailing us out. It was a momentum changer,” said sophomore forward Cam Toohey, who had a strong hand in that turnaround and also figures to be one of the Owls’ go-to guys on the offensive end of the ice this season.  
“I try to help my linemates and lead by example,” said Toohey, who had a hat trick. “I think it’s all our jobs to take the body and take the puck to the net.”
He certainly did that, starting with a hustle play to loop around the back of the net and tuck the rebound of a Eric Thornton (two goals and assist) shot past fallen netminder Brendan O’Connell to give the Owls the lead to stay.
Then during a third-period penalty kill, Toohey stole the puck from a Windham-Pelham defenseman at the blue line, burst in and lifted a perfect shot over O’Connell’s left shoulder to start a run of four straight Owl goals. He also finished the run with three minutes left to play when he took a feed from Brendan Heinze on the doorstep and poked the puck in the open net.
“We knew he could play coming out of youth hockey and we were waiting for him,” said Timberlane head coach Ryan Dugan. “Cam had a great freshman year and a fantastic summer, and this will be a big year for him. He has to incorporate the people around him, though.”
Just from the nine different names on the score sheet, that doesn’t seem to be an issue, but Toohey’s talking team play as well.
“This was my first career hat trick, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates giving me the puck and setting up good scoring opportunities.”
Owls come alive
Both teams came out slowly.
But after a between-periods session that Toohey called a “pep talk,” the Owls came out more energized and seized control.
“I don’t know if I’d call it a pep talk,” said Dugan. “We have good kids that listen when we talk to them. They’ll get it, they want to get it.”
“We didn’t play the body that much in the first period,” Toohey said. “After that, we started to hit and it translated into goals.”
W-P jumped on fractured defense starting the second and third periods with scores from Zach Malone and Alec Paradis to stay within a goal at 3-2, but Toohey’s pair along with a power play goal from Thornton and an even strength marker from Austin Toohey turned the game into a blowout.
W-P coach Doug Watson said, “We didn’t play our game and Timberlane played a good game. They exposed our weaknesses and took advantage, and we’ll try to get the players refocused.
“In essence, we’re not playing for anything. If it’s a league game, it means something but this gives us playing time against good teams.”