STATE OF OUR UNION

      While some in the Upper Valley stayed home believing that Tuesday’s big event of the night was the State of the Union address, those in the know came to watch the now first place Hanover Marauders defeat the previously undefeated Pinkerton Astros in a thriller at Campion Rink 3-1.  As the debate raged about whether or not America was being made great again, there was no denying the greatness of this Marauder win, especially a first period that had Hanover outshooting Pinkerton 19-1.

The First Place Hanover Marauders

      The Marauders came into the game on a four game win streak with big victories over BG, Exeter and most recently Trinity this past weekend.  The Astros had an even bigger streak, coming in at 10-0 including an 8-4 win over Bedford.  As the largest independent day school in the United States with 3,100 students, Pinkereton was the Goliath to Hanover’s David, Muncie Central to Hanover’s Milan High (look it up), or even Dan Devine to our Rudy Ruettiger (look that one up too). 

      However, the problem with the underdog analogy is that Dick Dodds’s team this year is good – really good.  In addition, while floating the lines about the country bumpkins going against the big boys may have worked in early December, Hanover has proven their mettle over and over again and thus this blogger is going to need to come up with some new game themes moving forward.

      With a large crowd watching including Hanover hockey royalty with names like Peraza, Bensen, and Redpath in the crowd, you knew this one was big.  And apparently so did the Marauders.  If you were standing on the scoreboard side of the rink for the first period, I hope you weren’t myopic because the puck lived in the Astro’s defensive zone for nearly the full 15 minutes.  Astros goalie Dakota Robinson probably felt like he was in the Badlands the way Hanover peppered him nearly continuously throughout the period.  Inside, outside, tips  - everything was coming at him.  But, it is really hard to stop Owen Stadheim, and just as he did against Trinity over the weekend, the sophomore center put Hanover ahead 2-0.  The first goal was a scrum after Sy Oberting’s blast from the point was redirected to Toño Correa towards the goal and Stadheim’s quick backhand beat Robinson low at 6:30.  At 12:06, Stadheim again found the net on a feed in front from David Lehmann on another assist from Oberting.  With several more good chances to end the period, the locals had outshot Pinkerton 19-1 by the time the horn sounded.

      But Pinkerton was not in first place because they are not talented, and the second period was really a back and forth between two heavyweights slugging it out in front of a lively crowd.  This was the period when goalie Harris LaRock carried the Marauders, turning away every one of the feisty Astros efforts including a penalty kill that seemed to last more like 6 minutes rather than the usual two.  With Hanover’s defense led by senior Braxton McNulty seemingly running on fumes, Hanover escaped back to locker room #4 holding on to a precarious 2-0 lead.

      As has been mentioned before in this blog, the third goal is often viewed as the most important in hockey and everyone in the crowd knew this going into the final frame.  At 5:50 gone by, Pinkerton finally found the net – the first goal given up by the Marauders in 10 periods of hockey – when senior Patrick Hare slipped one by LaRock.  Now the sprint was on and as the Astros slowly ground down the local boys as they uncharacteristically found themselves on a multiple penalty kills, Hanover needed a big play.  Enter junior Charlie Plottner.  Plottner, who had spent most of the evening up until this point making lunch dates with the Astros defenders on scrums in front, received a pass from Rowan Wilson behind the net on the man-up for Hanover at 11:53.  Sometimes it helps to have a goalie as a little brother, because in a tricky move he probably learned in the driveway against little brother Ben, he stepped from behind the net and bounced the puck off of Robinson’s back into the net.  Good night Astros, and no more lunch dates at that.

      As seems to be the case in most of these close Hanover wins, the hero was LaRock.  But credit needs to go to the aggressive Marauder fore-check, including JV call-up Patrick Daly, who kept the Astros pinned for much of the game in their defensive zone.  And the defense played a stellar game in fronting LaRock – it’s hard to know whether it was the Hanover blueliners or the Washington political blowhards (both sides of the aisle) who worked harder on this night.

      So with the win, Hanover ups its record to 11-1 (14-2 overall) in NHIAA play and sits alone in first place in Division 1.  They return to the ice Saturday with their only game this year against 1-9 Manchester Central. Game time is 4:30 in the Queen City.

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Sy Oberting

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight”.  This feature will be published on Mondays throughout the season)

Player:  Sy Oberting

Number: 4

Position: Defense

Hometown: Hanover

Years on Varsity: 1

Year: Sophomore

Youth Hockey Experience: I played for the Hanover Wild up until Pee Wees.  I then played for the Manchester Monarchs for first year Bantam, and then the Vermont Flames for second year Bantam and Midget split-season.

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High:  The guys and being part of this team both on the ice and in school.

Best Team Hockey Moment:  Beating Nashua to win the Tier I state championship for Hanover when I was a second year Pee Wee.

Best Personal Hockey Moment: Scoring my first varsity goal in an empty netter this year against Londonderry

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey: Lacrosse

Favorite Professional Team: Los Angeles Raiders

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself:  I am not the best Oberting hockey player.  The best player in our family is Reed. I also have never broken a bone.

 

Blogs coming this week: Tuesday Pinkerton game recap; Friday Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight; Saturday Manchester Central game recap

500!!!

500th Win!!!

       In game that in the future will be remembered more for the coaching milestone achieved rather than the actual play on the ice, the Hanover Marauders upended the Trinity Pioneers to move to 10-1 in NHIAA Division 1 (13-2 overall).  A very fitting 5-0 score to give Hanover coach Dick Dodds his 500^th career coaching win in his 36th year behind the bench has the Marauders now ready to square off for Division 1 bragging rights against 9-0 Pinkerton in three days time.

      But first the milestone.  Over the course of 36 years, 500 wins translates into almost 14 wins per season.  A remarkable record of consistency for a small school that has always “played up” against the more populous schools that make up Division 1.  Since 1982-3 when Dodds took over as coach, Hanover has captured 5 state championships and been to the finals 4 more times – 9 finals trips in 36 years.  The one constant in this tradition of excellence has been coach Dodds whose devotion to the Hanover traditional values of hard work, scholarship and integrity continues with this year’s Marauder group.  In a fine example of the humility inherent to the program, it was only after the milestone was announced over the Campion PA system that most in the crowd knew the importance of the occasion.

      Back to game.  This was the second meeting between the two schools with the first being a 2-1 nail biter that came down to the last two minutes in which Hanover eked out a victory at Saint Anselms back on January 13th.  The difference in that game was clearly Trinity net minder Ethan Messner who frustrated the locals throughout the game and nearly escaped with a signature victory.   Since that loss the Pioneers have been on a bit of a rough streak, as their 3-5 record has them in the midst of a four game losing streak after a 3-1 start.

Owen Stadheim lit it up with two goals

      With the Hanover partisans in the crowd hoping to avoid a repeat performance and get up on the Pioneers early, it looked like another close one was in the cards as neither team could establish control for the first ten minutes.  In fact, the best chance was probably for Trinity when a Hanover neutral zone lapse led to a breakaway which was stoned by Harris LaRock at 9:40.  As the time ticked closer to a 0-0 first period draw and Hanover looked like it would need to find its typical second period magic to pull this one out, all of sudden the game became the Owen Stadheim show.  On one of the best goals of the year coming unassisted at 10:27, Stadheim gained control of the puck along the far boards in the defensive zone.  With lightning quickness he skated the puck through 2 defenders in the neutral zone and then beat the defender wide coming into the offensive zone.  With David Lehmann flying through the slot, Stadheim came up on Messner in an impossible angle on the stick side, and with his eyes faking the pass to Lehmann in the slot, ripped a top shelf wrister into a microscopic opening that left the Hanover fans shaking their heads and saying “Seth who?”  Almost two minutes later, Stadheim did it again, with virtually the same shot at the same angle on a pass from Toño Correa that sent the home team up 2-0 going into the locker room.  The young Hanover Wild fans were heard to ask that if Stadheim scored again and they threw their hats on the ice, would Hanover get a penalty? 

Another shutout for the Rock

      The first half of the second was a lot like the first half of the first – lots of back and forth without either team able to capitalize.  It was not until Hanover’s special teams had their first chance with a hooking penalty at 9:21 that they got back on the board.  In the span of eight seconds on the man-up, Stadheim’s win off of the face-off back to Sy Oberting at the blue line was lateraled to Matty Gardner whose diagonal backdoor pass to Lehmann had the senior captain finding the net past Messner to make it 3-0.  With the Pioneers struggling like they were stuck back in the winter of 1846-47 in the Sierra Nevada, at 14:28 Charlie Plottner had a nice deak close in on Messner on assists from Joey Goff and Braxton McNulty to make it 4-0 as the horn sounded.

      The third period was more of the same in terms of Hanover dominance, with Goff making it 5-0 on a feed from Rowan Wilson and McNulty off a Messner rebound at 3:01.  From them on, it was Hanover just trying to preserve the shutout, with LaRock as usual masterful en route to his fourth shut out of the year.  In case you are wondering, that is now over 120 minutes of hockey since LaRock gave up a goal and he has only given up one goal in the last 180 minutes. 

      With the win, Hanover solidified its hold on second place in Division 1 in a tie with Concord.  Schedule watchers (and if you are not a schedule watcher and would like to have a great distraction at work when you are supposed to be doing important things, here is the website http://www.nhiaa.org/sports/schedules/boys-ice-hockey/division-1/2017-2018) can see that Division 1 is shaping up to be a 5 team race, with several critical contests coming this week.  Number one on that list is the game against Pinkerton on Tuesday night at Campion.  Game time is 5:50 pm.

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Rowan Wilson

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight” hairstyle of the week.  This will be published on Fridays) 

Player:  Rowan Wilson

Hair Nickname(s): Thor

The Story Behind the Hair:  I always had long hair until 5^th grade when I cut it and in 5^th and 6^th grade I had a buzz cut.  My mom loved it but I couldn’t wait to grow it.  For this season, my last cut was in March at the end of last season.

Hair Product(s): Bumble and Bumble hairspray AND hairwax

Hair Primping Secret(s): I shower and then put a hat on.  In the winter I put on a Hanover hockey hat and in the summer I put on a Hockey Night in Boston baseball hat

One Word to Describe Your Family’s Feelings about Your Hair:  My brother loves it, my sister hates it and my mom thinks it’s out of control.  My dad is just chill.

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Most Like to Have: Harris or Hans – they both have great flow-like hair

Rink Talk:  We at rink talk have seen some great hockey flows over the years – 2010 Patrick Kane, 1981 Gretzky, any year Al Iafrate, 2017 Hanover’s Acker – but none, and I mean none, compare to the mane sported by this sophomore center.  Whereas the mullet is defined by being “all business in the front and party in the back” Wilson’s flow is a 100% celebratory rager from bangs to shoulders. Those teammates who think they are bringing it with a 2:1 shampoo/conditioner combination better think again because this guy puts WAX in his locks to get this look. Great kid and player taking the flow-volution to new heights – strong work Rowan.

DEJA VU WITH EXETER

      In a game eerily similar to the first meeting between these two Division 1 foes just two weeks ago, the Hanover Marauders came away with a 2 goal victory over the Exeter Blue Hawks (3-5 NHIAA)  at Campion arena on Wednesday evening.  In sweeping the two game season series, the Marauders ran their record to 9-1 in Division 1 (12-2 overall) to keep pace near the top in the NHIAA standings with a 2-0 victory.

      Back on January 6^th, it was a big second period that had the Marauders go up 2 goals after getting off to a slightly sluggish start in the first frame.  Once again, Hanover would square off against Exeter goalie Jude Rogles, who was the difference in the first meeting between a Hanover blowout and a closer game than the score might indicate.

      Coming off their biggest win of the season four days ago away against Bishop Guertin, Hanover came out ready to go up early and dominated play from the opening face-off.  However, despite multiple chances, Rogles denied all of Hanover’s forays.  The lone penalty of the night on Hanover neutralized their momentum as the first period ended, although the Marauders continued to show off their dominant penalty kill which had them going into the locker room tied at 0-0.

EZ with the game winner

      It’s unclear what type of motivation is used each game in between period 1 and 2 with this year’s Marauders, but whatever coach Dick Dodds and his assistants serve up should be bottled and sold at Stateline.  Cranking up their offense with shots off the iron by both Elias Zinman and Matty Gardner, Hanover went up on their first man-up of the night on an Exeter hooking penalty at 8:31.  Just five seconds in, the lethal power play resulted in a Sy Oberting shot deflected to Zinman on the right doorstep whose shot beat Rogles to make it 1-0 Hanover.  15 seconds later it was captain David Lehmann’s backhander from the mid slot on a feed from Gardner that made it 2-0.  Owen Stadheim also had a helper on the play.  Despite several more good chances, including several narrow escapes on the second power play opportunity of the night, this is how the period would end.

      The third period was almost a carbon copy from the first game, with Hanover having several strong opportunities, but Rogles denying them all.  As the minutes ticked away, Hanover goalie Harris LaRock turned away any pressure from the Blue Hawks to earn his third shutout of the season.  The Hawks, like the first game, seemingly again tried to break the NHIAA record for most icing calls in a period, which clearly was a reflection of the offensive pressure being applied by Hanover.

      The most intriguing moment of the game for some might have been a clock malfunction in the second period which led to having the last few minutes of that period counted down manually.  However, that’s what you get sometimes on a cold night in late January, when the motivation is sometimes hard to find, but the wins are equally important in the standings. Finding the will to win on nights like this is what separates out your top tier squads, and Hanover was certainly up to the challenge this evening.

      LaRock paced Hanover with 14 saves.

      On Saturday night, the Marauders will face Trinity in the second of this three game homestand.  Let’s hope this game, unlike the last one between these two teams in which Hanover overcame a one goal deficit to win with two late goals in the third at Saint Anselms, won’t necessitate the need for a Nitro/Beta Blocker/Zantac cocktail for Marauder fans.  If any fans do have concerns heading in to Saturday night, a pregame trip to the DHMC cardiology team can probably be arranged. 

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Owen Stadheim

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight”.  This feature will be published on Mondays throughout the season)

Player:  Owen Stadheim

Number: 11

Position: Center

Hometown: Lyme

Years on Varsity: 2

Year: Sophomore

Youth Hockey Experience: I played for the Hanover Wild up until my first year in Squirts.  Since then I played for the New Hampshire Avalanche.

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High: The coaching staff.  All four coaches know hockey and have taught me a lot about how to play.

Best Team Hockey Moment:  Beating BG at home last year 3-2.

Best Personal Hockey Moment: Scoring last year against Trinity at Saint Anselm

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey: Soccer

Favorite Professional Team: Pittsburgh Penguins

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself:  I am a pretty good Fortnight gamer

 

Blogs coming this week: Thursday Exeter game recap; Friday Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight; Sunday Trinity game recap

PAYBACK

     In a game that had been circled on the calendar since last March, when Bishop Guertin came into Campion rink and ousted the favorite Hanover Marauders in the NHIAA Division 1 quarterfinals, the two teams tangled again down at Skate 3 for a Saturday afternoon tilt.  Two hours later, with the Marauders whooping it up after their 3-1 dismantling of the Cardinals, notice has been served to the rest of the New Hampshire hockey community that BG was beatable in-state and Hanover was a true contending force.

      Hanover came into the contest with a 7-1 league record (10-2 overall with both losses to Bedford).  Conversely, BG had beaten Bedford 4-1, Trinity 10-1, and Exeter 7-4 and played a host of strong Massachusetts schools already. 

       A large crowd was on hand, including a boisterous BG student section, in anticipation of a beat down to Hanover.  In fact, as the BG players were stepping onto the ice, they could be heard talking of beating up on the “Hanover Hicks” who had made the two-hour trip just south of the border to Tynsboro.  Well these hicks put it to them with a superior game plan designed to neutralize BG’s scoring juggernaut of 6’6” Doug Parker and 5’5” Ben Peterson.  There is a reason that coach Dick Dodds is in the New Hampshire Hockey Hall of Fame  - exhibit A: when it was all over both Peterson and Parker had come up empty in the scoring sheet.  Sophomore Rowan Wilson had a lot to do with that, as he shadowed Peterson shift-for shift and completely shut him down.  If there is nightmare tonight about the game in Peterson’s dreams, I am sure it will feature Hanover’s #6 prominently.

      For those who have watched youth hockey over the years, the Nashua games are always physical and fast, and now that the boys are in high school this game was no different.  In fact, the only delicate offering of the night from BG was a lovely rendition of the national anthem sung by one of their students.  Once that was over, it was an AC/DC, Gun’s n Roses, Metallica kind of night both over the loudspeaker and on the ice.

      The first period had both teams coming out on all cylinders, and it was senior goalie Harris LaRock – making his first start against BG, who shut the Cardinals down early with save after save, including one off the mask early.  However, at 2:23 in, the Marauders struck first. Sy Oberting found Hans Williams in the neutral zone who sent a crisp pass to streaking Elias Zinman up the left wing whose beautiful backdoor pass to Cameron Woods on the doorstep beat Colin Freitas to make it 1-0.  Whoa now, this wasn’t supposed to happen and as the Marauders skated over to their bench for the high five, one could sense a palpable deflation in the crowd’s enthusiasm on the other side of the rink.

      Despite LaRock standing on his head for most of the period, BG was able to tie it up on beautiful give-and-go play behind the net between Liam Nye and Ben Young.  However, even with the swing in momentum, LaRock continued to stand tall and kept every BG thrust contained as the minutes ticked on.  With 20 seconds left in the period, Hanover went on the powrerplay and as time expired, one knew that with 1:40 left on the man-up, the Marauders would come out flying despite being down 11-8 in the shot differential. 

      As anticipated, come out flying they did to open the second.  Just a minute into the power play, an Owen Stadheim backdoor pass led to a David Lehmann one-timer on the doorstep that for the entire world looked like it put the Marauders up 2-1.  However, the goal was disallowed because the net had miraculously become dislodged from its moorings as Lehmann’s shot crossed the goal line.  This would be a theme that would repeat itself throughout the night, with several good chances from the Marauders disallowed by the net seemingly spontaneously coming of its moorings.  Not one time was a delay of game called against BG goalie Freitas.  However, rather than have this clear miscarriage of hockey justice frustrate the Upper Valley boys, it seemed to engender a contained fury, especially in Captain Lehmann, who from that point on played like a mad beast of the ice.

      With Lehmann and his charges pressing forward to control the neutral zone, it was Lehmann’s all out hustle that led to the game winner at 11:22 into the second.  Down a man on the power play, Braxton McNulty cleared from deep and Lehmann and Woods were waiting unchecked in the offensive zone.  As BG brought the puck from behind their net, the aggressively fore-checking Lehmann picked his pocket and found Woods sitting on the doorstep for his second goal at 11:22.  Good night Cardinals and thanks for coming out.   But Hanover wasn’t done because on the man-up at 14:30 Zinman found Lehmann on the near circle who passed to Matty Gardner sitting on the point for a deep wrist shot past Freitas to make it 3-1.

      Despite knowing that the third period would be bringing heavy checking and heavy pressure from the Cardinals, Hanover got off on the wrong foot almost immediately with a penalty two minutes in that put them on the penalty kill.  However, 50 seconds later a Cardinal penalty had the teams on the 4-4, with no one able to break through.  With the checks from the Cardinals getting bigger and more vicious as their frustration mounted, including a dangerous two-man takedown of Zinman that went uncalled, Hanover persisted in playing hard and clean.  Finally , LaRock, who had been hit repeatedly after the whistle in front of his net without any calls on the Cardinals throughout the period, had enough and introduced Parker’s face mask to his glove hand resulting in the first goalie penalty of the year deep into the third.  No matter, Hanover rode out the kill to end the game - final 3-1 Marauders.

      For LaRock, Lehmann, and McNulty, Hanover’s Holy Trinity, this was a gut check, huge win featuring a shutdown game plan against a team that no one expected to lose in the state of New Hampshire this year. LaRock was magnificent, making 29 crucial saves, with Lehmann especially playing like his hair was on fire and McNulty providing a strong, senior presence handling the defense.  For the current Marauders, this one was sweet, and for last year’s 11 graduated seniors, a little payback.

Hanover's Holy Trinity - McNulty, Lehmann, LaRock

     

The Marauders return to action this Wednesday night for a rematch against Exeter, who gave the Marauders a tough 4-2 game back on January 6.  Game time is 6:00 at Campion.

 

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Duncan Bailey

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight” hairstyle of the week.  This will be published hopefully on Fridays)

Player:  Duncan Bailey

Hair Nickname(s): The King; The Grease Pit; Crisco; The Deep Fryer

The Story Behind the Hair:  I got a trim right before school but haven’t gotten it cut since. I’ve always had longer hair and I like to keep it long until it gets annoying

Hair Product(s): I use whatever product is in the house – I’ve been using butter lately

Hair Primping Secret(s): I wet it every day but don’t always use shampoo.  Sometimes I just brush it after a practice and then throw on a hat.

One Word to Describe Your Family’s Feelings about Your Hair:  Greasy

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Most Like to Have: Hans – long, flowing, not greasy - perfect

Rink Talk:  We conducted this hair interview in front of six of Duncan’s teammates who all had the chance to tell their hair story before the King got his chance at last.  Well, you know that line in the Charlie Daniels song the Devil Went Down to Georgia that goes “The devil bowed his head because he knew that he’d been beat and he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny’s feet.”  Well – that’s what happened.  When the King took off his hat, told us that his hair primping secret involved butter and that shampoo in his life was optional, you could see the tenuous confidence just evaporate from the juniors and sophomores in attendance, and the lone freshman just looked at Duncan with awestruck reverance as if he had just met Mila Kunis.  I myself knew that I was in the presence of hair greatness and that the King was now in the building.  All hail King Duncan Bailey – nasty player with a regal salad.

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Joey Goff

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight”.  This feature will be published on Mondays throughout the season)

Player:  Joey Goff

Number: 9

Position: Wing

Hometown: Plattsburgh NY and now Hanover

Years on Varsity: 2

Youth Hockey Experience: I learned to play hockey where I grew up in Plattsburgh, NY.  We moved to Hanover when I was a second year Pee Wee and I played for the Wild through Bantams.

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High: I love the fact that we spend so much time together and grow as a team with all of our practices and games.

Best Team Hockey Moment: When I was a first year Pee Wee my team won the Can-Am tournament in Lake Placid. 

Best Personal Hockey Moment: My goal this year against Bedford in the Manchester Holiday tournament final.

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey:  Football

Favorite Professional Team: Chicago Blackhawks

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself: I used to be called One Skate Joe because I skated on one skate all through Mites.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

       The Hanover Marauders, coming off their first league loss of the year the day before to Bedford, made a trip back to their home away from home JFK arena on Manchester’s east side for their third league game in as many days. Facing the Manchester Memorial Crusaders, the Marauders came in a little banged up having faced two tough top tier Division 1 foes in as many days. This game would be a test for Hanover, as starting center Owen Stadheim was out with an injury, forcing a shuffling of each of the three forward lines. The Crusaders came into the contest with a 1-6 record in league, with their lone win coming against city rival Manchester Central.

First goal of the year for Rowan Wilson

       Coach Dick Dodd’s starting five featured the steady defensive corps of Braxton McNulty and Sylas Oberting, with a new starting forward line of Hans Williams, Elias Zinman and Cameron Woods. From the outset and continuing throughout the game, Hanover dominated play with multiple scoring opportunities but just could not capitalize. Finally at 13:09, David Lehmann had enough of the close calls and as you want your captain to do, he gave the Marauders the only goal they would need. Lehmann took a Sylas Oberting shot from behind the net, skated out to the top of the circle, and cashed in with a quick wrist shot glove side. 1-0 Hanover and as the clock ticked away to end the period, one had the feeling that this would be only the beginning of a big offensive afternoon for the Upper Valley boys.

       It didn’t take long for the deluge to start. At 2:20 into the second, Zinman won a face-off in the near offensive zone to Williams who passed on to Woods in the mid slot and his wrister made it 2-0. It was the second goal of the long weekend for Woods, whose game winner against Trinity stands at the most important of the year thus far for the Marauders. Hanover struck again for the second time in the period on their first power play opportunity at 11:38 when Lehmann found Matty Gardner who found Rowan Wilson in the high slot for a backhander to make it 3-0 and give Wilson his first point of the season. At the second intermission, Hanover was enjoying a 3-0 advantage by distributing the wealth around equally like it was Moscow in 1917.

       The third period saw Hanover pour it on with three more goals to close with a 6-0 victory. At 4:33 a Gardner shot from the point deflected to Lehmann whose subsequent wrist shot made it 4-0. At 5:42 on a power play featuring exquisite puck movement from the Oberting, Zinman, Lehmann, Correa, Gardner quintet, Correa found Zinman whose smooth pass to the back door found the captain for his third goal of the night.  A hatrick for Lehmann - the first on the season for a Hanover player.  With the goal on the man-up Hanover was 2-2 on the power play. Finally, Charlie Plottner made the Crusaders pay for a neutral zone turnover by going in on a breakaway unassisted at 5:54 to complete the scoring.

       Goalie Harris LaRock was again stellar in recording his second shutout of the season making 14 saves, with fine defensive efforts from the defensive five of McNulty, Oberting, Duncan Bailey, Sam Seelig, and Gardner.

      With the win, Hanover goes to 10-2 on the season (7-1 league). They will have a few days off to recover from the weekend’s game trifecta before facing a stout Bishop Guertin team. Here’s hoping for a little Cardinal payback on Saturday.

FIRST LEAGUE LOSS

 Toño Correa with an assist

      Hanover squared off against the Southern rival Bedford for the second time this season on Sunday morning in a rare home game against the Bulldogs at Thompson arena.  The first game between these two rivals was in the finals of the Manchester Holiday tournament with the Bulldogs taking it 4-2 in a game much closer than the score indicated due to a late Bedford late empty netter.  With the Marauders coming off a huge win the night before in a thriller against Trinity, one of the keys to the game would be how much effort Hanover could muster on tired legs.

      A big home crowd was on hand to see this game – a game that might go a long way toward determining seeding in NHIAA Division 1.  Bedford game into the contest with a 4-2 record in the league compared with Hanover’s 6-0 (9-1 overall).  Everyone expected this would be a dogfight.

      The first period was exactly what you would expect –fast-paced, lots of pressure on the puck and good opportunities for both teams.  Bedford had the best of play with a 5-1 shot advantage for the period. However, Hanover probably had the best chance when Owen Stadheim’s wrister from the left circle at 8:39 beat Bedford goalie Ben Bernard but struck the crossbar.  Extensive pressure on Hanover for a two minute stretch deep in the third period had the Marauders on their heels with survival only possible thanks to several big saves from goalie Harris LaRock.  As the period ended, the teams retreated to their locker rooms with a back-and-forth 0-0 score.  As is the case with both of these teams during their first meeting, the hockey was crisp, smart and penalty-free.

      The second frame saw the Marauders go down 1-0 just 28 seconds in, and really were unable to recover for the remainder of the contest.  A textbook 2-on-1 with a Zach Bayer from Eric Flynn sequence had the Bulldogs take the league for good.  Both teams hit the post in the period – David Lehmann for Hanover – but neither team could get that second goal until Bayer returned the favor to Flynn with a rebound goal at 13:50.  The Marauders went into the period down 2-0.

      The third period started out much like the second, with Bedford going up 3-0 23 seconds in with Flynn again assisted by Bayer on a redirect from the point.  Hanover had a chance on their first man-up midway through the period but was unable to capitalize.  It was not until 11:02, on the second power play opportunity of the night, that the Marauders hit the twine when Lehmann capitalized on a scrum in close on assists from Toño Correa and Matty Gardner.  Unfortunately, less than one minute later, Bedford made it 4-1 on a rebound for Kyle Greer and the Marauders had suffered their first league loss.

      The Marauders will not play Bedford again this year unless it is in the state tournament and they will have little opportunity to dwell on the loss as they travel to Manchester to play 1-4 Memorial tomorrow.  Game time 4:30.

PERIOD OF THE YEAR

      The Hanover Marauders traveled to cavernous Sullivan Arena on the campus of Saint Anselm College for a Saturday afternoon game against the Trinity Pioneers who came into the game with a 3-2 NHIAA record with losses only to Concord and Bishop Guertin.  The Marauders were looking to dust off the rust after a one week exam hiatus for midterms.  The game would be the first of three on the weekend, with Hanover facing tilts at home on Sunday against Bedford and back on the road to the Queen City against Manchester Memorial on Monday.  This would be the first in a home-and-home for the two teams with the Pioneers scheduled to visit the Upper Valley on January 27^th.

Cameron Woods - game winner

      With senior goalie Harris LaRock between the pipes, the Marauders came out like they were still taking their chemistry midterm – overcalculating, somewhat confused and trying to remember all of the basic elements.  Even when they had the early advantage with a power play opportunity at 3:56 they were only able to muster one shot on goal.  However, the line of Toño Correa, Rowan Wilson and Cameron Woods had a dominant shift midway through the first with Woods getting the best early opportunity that was stoned by Pioneer goalie Ethan Messner on a rebound in close.  Hanover continued to have the best of play until their momentum was interrupted by a trip to the sin bin at 13:08.  Almost singlehandedly however in the early part of the penalty kill Owen Stadheim kept Trinity pinned in their zone with rush after rush on the forecheck.  On what was about the third rush for Stadheim on the shorthand, he was taken down by an elbow and for the remainder of the period it was a 4-4 with neither team able to capitalize.  The period ended with an 8 shots for each team.

Matty Gardner tied it up

      The second period was one of those periods where you recognize the value of a very hot goalie.  Despite being absolutely pummeled with shot after shot after shot throughout the period, Messner was electric.  The Marauders had 2 and half power play chances over the course of the period (having started on the man-up) and could not convert despite multiple good chances.  They completely dominated the period but Messner was up to every challenge.  The Marauders hurt themselves too with an uncharacteristic three penalties in the period.  Just as Hanover was putting the pressure on for another thrust with 10 second left, a turnover at the blue line followed by apathetic backchecking let Pioneer junior James Kosiarski come down on breakaway and beat LaRock as time expired.  Despite possessing the shot advantage 26-13 after two periods (18-5 in the second period alone) Hanover went into the final frame trailing for only the second time this season.

      The Marauders came out in the third playing like a team down and had several knocks on the door, the best of which was a David Lehmann breakaway shorthanded at four minutes in that was shut down by Messner.  Two man-ups and what seemed like multiple opportunities later, Hanover found themselves still at 1-0 down deep into the third.  Playing with calm desperation, they continued to press and work the puck around the umbrella.  With just over 2 minutes left at 2:15, Sy Oberting took an Elias Zinman pass from the right corner and unleashed a bomb from the blue line that was directed past Messner by Matty Gardner on the screen and now it was all tied up at 1-1.  With the Lehmann-Stadheim- Zinmann and Williams-Plottner-Goff lines running on fumes, in came the high-energy Wilson-Woods-Correa line – great decision.  With 44 seconds left, another Oberting blast found the screening Woods deep in front of Messner who was beat stick side - Woods would not be denied a second time.  Game winner for the sophomore and a Donner-esque heartbreak for the Pioneers.

     On the night Hanover outshot Trinity 36-15 – with only 7 shots for the Pioneers after the first period.

      Tomorrow morning Hanover will host Bedford in a make-up game from a 12/23 snow out.  A rare Thompson Arena battle will have two of the top teams in Division I squaring off at 10:30 in their second meeting of the season.  Bedford took the championship of the Manchester Holiday tournament in a close 4-2 victory against the Marauders in late December.  Here’s hoping that the Patriots don’t go to overtime tonight so the boys can get some sleep heading into the morning.

     

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Hans Williams

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight” hairstyle of the week.  This will be hopefully published on Fridays)

Player:  Hans Williams

Hair Nickname(s): Goldilocks; The Jack O'Callahan (Miracle Movie Edition)

The Story Behind the Hair:  I’ve been growing my hair since the end of school last year.  It’s never been this long before.

Hair Product(s): I use a combination of Pantene and Garnier Fructis.  I’m known as the go to guy for my Fructis.

Hair Primping Secret(s): I’ll really use any type of shampoo or conditioner, but you have always got to use conditioner

One Word to Describe Your Family’s Feelings about Your Hair:  Greasy Sometimes

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Love to Have: Rowan Wilson.  I am really jealous of his hair.  He has some lovely locks I would aspire to have. It’s luscious.

Rink Talk: From what we hear at rink talk, Hans’s savage hair is equaled only by his guitar and songwriting skills.  Which made us imagine what it will be like in 10 years when we are in the audience at Gillette Stadium watching Hans and his band and the groupie next to us is smitten with the frontman’s blonde flow.  We can then turn to that groupie and set her straight by telling her that Hans’s flow wasn’t inspired by the music.  No, it started in a small New Hampshire town where the athletes play hockey, share hair products in the locker room, and are never prouder than when their teammate gives a shoutout to their locks in the Hair Spotlight.  What began as a way to have a few wings showing under the helmet now has helped Hans get on the cover of Rolling Stone and sell out Gillette.  Those of us who knew him before he was a rock star though will all know that the hair started when he was a huge player for the Marauders and bailed out many of his teammates not only on the ice, but also in the locker room by sharing generously with his Fructis.

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Charlie Plottner

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight”.  This feature will be published on Mondays throughout the season)

 

Player:  Charlie Plottner

Number: 8

Hometown: Strafford

Position: Wing

Years on Varsity: 3

Youth Hockey Experience: I played Hanover Wild until I was a second year Squirt and then I switched to Woodstock for second year squirt, pee wees and 1^st year Bantam 

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High:  It’s the boys.  Everyone looks out for one another and we all have a common goal.

Best Team Hockey Moment: Beating BG at home last year

Best Personal Hockey Moment: When I was a second year pee wee we lost in quadruple overtime in the state championship.  But I had two goals in the game which was awesome.

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey:  Baseball

Favorite Professional Team:  Cleveland Browns

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself:  On practice mornings, I wake up at 3:55 am to get to the rink on time.




Blogs coming this week: Friday: Hanover Hair spotlight; Saturday: Trinity game recap

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Elias Zinman

(Bloggers note: Each week during the season we will feature a “Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight” hairstyle of the week.  This will be hopefully published on Fridays)

Player:  Elias Zinman

Hair Nickname(s): Brown Cheddar

The Story Behind the Hair:  I’ve always had longer hair – I look better with it.  However, I’m kind of disliking it a little bit because it gets in my face and I'm thinking about cutting it.

Hair Product(s): Rink: Nivea 3:1; Head and Shoulders; Garnier Fructis (borrowed from Hans)  Home: Suave for Men; Irish Spring

Hair Primping Secret(s): I always use conditioner.  My biggest secret though is that I sleep with a hair band and slick my hair back to keep it softer.  If I don’t take these steps the bed head is brutal.

One Word to Describe Your Family’s Feelings about Your Hair:  Greasy

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Love to Have: Braxton McNulty

Rink Talk: When we heard that EZ was considering cutting his locks we were faced with deep despair because when you talk about salad, there are two types.  There is the salad you get at Applebee’s that comes with your entrée but you really would have rather gotten the side of sweet potato fries but you don’t want to look like a pig so you get the salad salad – this is like a freshman salad.  And then there is the salad that you get when it’s been a long week and you say screw it and go to Jesse’s for Sunday brunch and you hit the salad bar six times and each time get the shrimp and stop at the bread line and by the time you get back to the table there is no visible green in your salad because there are so many bacon bits and croutons and ranch dressing on your salad salad – this is like EZ’s hair.  Elias has a Jesse’s salad up on top – a dirty, intimidating, Jagr-esque salad up there for the big dog.  Please keep it EZ – if for no other reason than for the fans who love it.