By Len Bardsley

 WALL — It was a tough start for the St. Rose ice hockey team on Friday in the Purple Roses’ season-opener. St. Rose was already facing Jackson Memorial without two of its top forwards, who had a travel team commitment.

Then Alex Phipps, the top forward for St. Rose and one of the more dynamic forwards in the Shore Conference, was hurt. You add the fact Purple Rose defenseman Keelan McGovern was hurt when he blocked a shot in the second period and it was clear it was going to be an uphill battle for St. Rose, who eventually fell to the Jaguars 6-1.

The Purple Roses had a hard time generating any kind of consistency on offense against Jackson Memorial, while on defense the Jaguars put pressure on St. Rose.

Purple Rose coach Dan Grothues tried to find the positives from the game. St. Rose did get several players the kind of experience that could only help down the road.

The Purple Rose players might not have expected to be thrown into the deep end of the pool in terms of varsity ice hockey, but St. Rose had no choice but to test those waters with the injuries during the game.

“The positives we can take out of that is that a lot of young guys stepped up got a lot of experience,’’ said Grothues. “They got a lot of ice time that maybe for some of them might not have seen on opening night.’’

The Purple Roses took a 1-0 lead in the first period.  Phipps made a push into the Jaguars’ end while St. Rose was killing off a penalty and sent the puck in front of the Jackson Memorial net.  Joe Trilli knocked in the loose puck with 11:36 left in the first period for a shorthanded goal for the Purple Roses.

The Jaguars took only 15 seconds to tie the game on the same power-play. Trevor Cear, who proved to be a thorn the Roses side all game, scored on a high wrist shot for a power-play goal to tie the game 1-1.  The Purple Roses normally would have a forward in Phipps who could match Cear, but the senior forward was forced out in the first period with his injury.

“Those guys going down, [McGovern, Phipps], especially Alex going down at the beginning of the game, these guys look to him to be our leader and do a lot,’’ said Grothues “He is our most explosive player, to lose him that hurts you big time. Guys have to step up into that role, as much as we miss him we saw some good things come out of the young guys.’’

Steven Gibilisco, who would finish with 32 saves, had several stops in the first period for the Purple Roses to keep the score tied 1-1.  The Jaguars would eventually start to pull away in the second period.  “Steven made a lot of nice saves,’’ said Grothues. “We did a good job of clearing the puck out front for the most part. Overall our entire play has to get better if we want to compete at this level.’’

Cear scored again on a Jackson Memorial power play in the first minute of the second period before skating through the Purple Roses defense for a goal from close range with 9:56 left in the second to push the Jaguars lead to 3-1.

St. Rose did generate a couple of good chances during the second period.  Will Lemonie was stopped twice from close range by Jackson Memorial goalie Matt Pousson midway through the second period.

The Jaguars would add three goals in the third period to take total control of the game.