Marauder Train Keeps Rolling at Manchester Tournament

Senior forward Jake Acker tallied a goal
and an assist in the 3-0 victory. 

Hanover won its third straight game on Tuesday afternoon with a 3-0 victory over the Trinity Pioneers, propelling them to a 2-0 record and the lead in the McDonough division in the annual Manchester holiday tournament.

Hanover came out hard, looking to use their size and experience to establish early dominance over the young Trinity team. The Marauders rolled three lines regularly from the opening face off, and the third line proved a force from the beginning. Just 2:19 into the game, senior forward Grant Morhun collected his first goal of the campaign with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that found the top of the net, giving Hanover an early 1-0 lead.

The all-sophomore line of Hans Williams, Joey Goff, and Charlie Plottner kept the puck moving and provided a thrilling flurry of activity two-thirds of the way through the period that seemed sure to result in a goal until a Hanover penalty at 10:48 put a temporary stop to the momentum. The Marauders entered the first intermission with a 1-0 lead and a 13-5 advantage in shots.

Hanover continued the pressure in the second period, but sophomore goalie Ethan Messner – who had led the Pioneers all the way to a shootout with perennial powerhouse Concord earlier in the tournament behind a 36-save effort – kept Hanover frustrated. However, freshman forward Ryan Glass was sent to the box at 4:34 to allow the increasingly potent Marauder power play to get back to work. It took just over thirty seconds of pressure before senior captain Patrick Logan started a tic-tac-toe series of touches to alternate captain Jake Acker, who sent a one-touch feed to defenseman Will Smith, who streaked in on Messner's far post and banged in the puck for the 2-0 lead. The tally was Smith's fifth in as many games as the converted forward is quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with from the blue line.

Trinity called a timeout to regroup, and replaced Messner with freshman Ryan Brewitt between the pipes. The rookie proved equal to the task and robbed Hanover's attack multiple times before Acker earned his second point of the night when he lit the lamp himself at 10:02. With a face off at the right circle, freshman centerman Owen Stadheim won the draw to linemate Acker, who one-timed a snapshot into the back of the net for the 3-0 Hanover lead.

Hanover continued the pressure and outshot the Pioneers 16-4 in the middle period, but Bewitt kept the Marauders from further padding the lead, and the two teams entered the final intermission with the 3-0 Hanover lead intact.

The final period saw more Hanover dominance, in terms of physical play, puck possession, and shots, with the Marauders holding a 13-5 advantage in attempts on goal. Trinity's Brewitt, however, showed flashes of budding brilliance in blanking the Marauders throughout the final frame. While not tested as often as either of his Trinity counterparts, senior netminder Luke Ratliff proved unbeatable for Hanover and ended the evening with the Marauders' first shutout of the season, stopping all 14 of the Pioneers' shots. In total, Hanover tripled Trinity's shot output, finishing with a 42 to 14 advantage.

Hanover looks to continue the momentum and earn a spot in the tournament championship game when they take on long-time rival Concord at 8:00pm Wednesday. This will be the Marauders' first tilt against the Crimson Tide, and a preview of two crucial league matchups still to come in 2017.