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.