They finished with a winning record for the second consecutive season.

They hosted a first-round playoff contest.

They came back from a twogoal deficit in the third period against a formidable foe.

The only thing the Goffstown ice hockey team failed to do was stuff the puck home when it counted most.

Trailing Bow, 3-1, in the Division II state quarterfinals at St. Anselm’s Sullivan Arena on Saturday, March 1, the Grizzlies clawed back in the final frame to tie the contest and force overtime.

But the sudden-death period proved an unfortunately accurate description for the hosts.

After the two squads traded scoring opportunities, it was Bow that found the net first, winning 4-3 and sending GHS players to the locker room with an overwhelming feeling of missed opportunity.

“They’re hurting,” said Goffstown coach Peter Bedford. “As a coach, kind of like a parent, you want to make their hurt go away. But they’re resilient, that’s for sure. How else do they come back in a game like this?” The Grizzlies created chances early, outplaying Bow in the first period, but failed to score while the Falcons took a onegoal lead.

In the second period, the visitors seized momentum and grabbed a 3-1 advantage.

But the third period belonged to Goffstown. Liam House-Myers lit the lamp two minutes, 30 seconds into the period, and Ryan Valcourt knotted the score with 23 seconds left in the game on a rebound. House-Myers and Andy Giovagnoli earned assists.

“We had our chances. I mean, early on in the overtime we had doorstep shots that we just didn’t finish, but that’s how overtime works, you’re one and done,” said Bedford. “We battled, and what more can you ask, other than, ‘Boy, I wish it went our way?’”

Being competitive in a playoff game against an opponent like Bow is a big step, he said, but there are larger strides to come.

“This was a great experience,” Bedford continued. “I’m sorry, I wish we had won on our home ice, but we just had a lot of young guys play in their first playoff game, and guess what? They didn’t back down, and now they’re going to carry that into next season.”

Goffstown graduates forwards Nate Chaput and Tyler Chase, defensemen Matt Gifford and Nick Chagnon, and most devastating, said Bedford, goaltenders Steve Case and Scott Turgeon.

But the Grizzlies return their core, including junior forward Liam House-Myers, who is on pace to break the school scoring record next season.

“Up front, we are going to be more mature and stronger and will bang more of those opportunities in,” said the coach. “I just see us as balanced. I don’t see the big dropoff of years past, and because of that, I think you’re going to consistently see us in playoff position.”