SENIOR NIGHT

     With a big, partisan Senior night crowd in attendance at Campion, the Hanover Marauders finished off their 2017-18 regular season campaign with a convincing 5-0 win against the 4-13 Bishop Brady Giants Saturday night.  With the win, Dick Dodd’s boys completed NHIAA Division 1 play with a 15-3 record (18-4 overall) and clinched the second overall seed in the upcoming state tournament.

      It was a very special night, as the four Hanover seniors – Peter Warhold, Harris LaRock, Braxton McNulty and David Lehmann were honored in a pre-game ceremony with flowers, on-ice parent hugs and posters filled with photos in the lobby that showed the boys in all stages of their hockey careers.  Adding to the nostalgia on the night was that the Hanover girls team had their senior night just before – so lots of hugs and well wishes to go around.

David Lehmann

Harris LaRock

      Interrupting all of the festivities however was a hockey game to be played, so with a little bit of a lump of sadness in their parent’s throats, the four senior starters took the ice for the last time in the regular season and then the puck dropped.  And make no mistake, this was an important game because throughout New Hampshire this evening, players, coaches and fans of NHIAA hockey were watching closely to see where the final seedings would land.  For Hanover, which was locked in a second place tie with Pinkerton (but owned the tiebreaker due to head-to-head) this was a critical contest to lock up the second seed.

      So perhaps the Marauders were thinking about the cake and punch waiting for them post-game in the locker room or looking forward to the traditional senior skate around the rink following the last regular season game, but the first half of the first period was dominated by the Giants.  However, it was LaRock, and his legendary pink stick tape, that stoned the Giants on a several good scoring chances in deep early.  Finally at 10:38, sophomore sensation Owen Stadheim took a behind–the-net pass from Joey Goff (from Sy Oberting) in the mid slot and finished past Brady goalie Nathaniel Pushee for a 1-0 Hanover lead.  It was all they would need.

Peter Warhold

Braxton McNulty

      As they have for the most part all season, the Marauders came out for the second determined to put the game out of reach early.  After several good opportunities thwarted by Pushee, a blast from the right point from McNulty found a screening Cameron Woods in front to put Hanover up 2-0 five minutes in.  With a back and forth between the two squads throughout the middle of the period featuring man-up opportunities from both, Woods finally scored that all important third goal, nicely controlling a McNulty saucer pass at the offensive blue line on the man-down and skating it in on Pushee for a 3-0 lead.  If there was one aspect of the game which went especially well for Hanover tonight, it was their special teams, and Stadheim put Hanover up 4-0 again on the man-down at 13:21 when he took advantage of an unfortunately timed defensive zone Giant broken stick to steal the puck and go in untouched.

      The third period had Lehmann firing in his last regular season goal of his career to make it 5-0 at 3:30 off a nice across the slot pass from Goff.  Despite being up a bunch, Hanover kept pushing and it was Warhold’s nice deke at the blue line to go wide that almost had the senior hitting the score sheet with the best opportunity to finish the third.

      With his fifth shutout of the year, LaRock had 10 saves and tied the Hanover High record for the most shutouts in a season – maybe all of the Marauders should adopt the pink stick tape moving forward. 

      Said Dodds in the Campion lobby after the game as the team milled around the senior’s posters and especially admired the sporty bifocals Harris wore as a kid, “It was a nice way to send the seniors off.  They’ve done such a nice job leading this team with the four seniors being responsible for the great chemistry of the team on and off the ice.”

      And what a successful year they have had.  In NHIAA play they outscored their opponents 76-27, by far the fewest goals allowed in Division 1 which is a credit to LaRock and the tough Hanover defense.  And the scoring output has been well-balanced, led by leading scorer Lehmann, with everyone contributing.

      So the platitudes on the regular season are nice, but now really mean nothing going forward  - as Dodds said this evening “now every team is 0-0”.  So the second, and by far the most important, season gets underway this week.  As of this writing, it was unclear whom the playoff bracket would have the Marauders facing next Saturday night for the final home game of the year.  No matter what, Campion should be amped up a week from now to welcome the underdog to town.  Rest up Marauders, stay away from the flu, and don’t forget what happened in the quarterfinals last year.

 

 

 

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: David Lehmann

(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:  Captain David Lehmann

Hair Nickname(s): Epic

The Story Behind the Hair:  When I was younger, I got one buzz cut ever year and then let it grow out over the next year. I have not continued to do that because spring is baseball season and I like it short.

Hair Product(s):  Home – Head and Shoulders 2:1.  At the rink - Old Spice 3:1.

Hair Primping Secret(s): I try to shampoo it every other day.  If it is looking flat, I take a two day break. I rely on the 2:1 as my got to.

One Word to Describe Your Family’s Feelings about Your Hair:  My mom loves the long hair but my sister and brother could care less.

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Most Like to Have: Rowan – I’ve always been curious about what I would look like as a blond and his hair is always so long and luscious.

Rink Talk:  There is a reason we saved David for the last regular season hair spotlight. When we had the preseason meeting with the captains back in early December, one could predict his hair’s flowtential, but like the smart, heady player he is on the ice, he deferred his glamour shot until his salad had some more time to develop.  So while his younger teammates basked in the adoration that comes with a feature in the hair spotlight, the wise senior waited patiently all season biding his time, steadfastly fertilizing his lawn with the head and shoulders 2:1 every other day.  As the flowvolution matured, David’s ferocious play on the ice ran in tandem with the masterpiece growing under his helmet.  There was the play of the year candidate strip and assist behind the net against BG to make it 2-1, the hat trick, and most recently the otherworldly goal in the third Concord game.  Furthermore, as the hair grew, so did his number of points on the stat sheet.  Coincidence?   We don’t think so, because you can have all of the speed, strength and stick skills in the state, but if you don’t have the hair, well you might as well just be getting short-shifted in the third period playing for Squirt Blue.  We present in our opinion the flow of the year, the standard by which all hair should be measured, and the one belonging to your captain and top scorer.  Congratulations captain Lehmann on your season, your Hanover career, but most of all, congratulations on your epic flow. 

ALL HEART

     In a game that will probably stand-up as the biggest single gut check game of the season, the Hanover Marauders went into Everett Arena to face archrival Concord on the heels of being destroyed by the Crimson Tide the night before in all facets of the game 6-0 at Campion.  While tonight’s final score resulted in a 4-2 loss, this game was a close, hard-fought battle that demonstrated the toughness, guts and mettle of this Hanover team.  While not a perfect effort for Dick Dodds’s Marauders, it certainly was a vast improvement over their performance from the day previously.  Everett was rocking tonight with a large crowd in both the side and end bleachers to make it very much a partisan Crimson Tide crowd. 



      The first period was a clean, fast, well-played contest between the first and second place teams in NHIAA division 1.  The best chance was for Concord on a wrister from the right circle which hit the crossbar and bounced harmlessly away.  Midway through the first, everyone knew this was going to be a dogfight and that Hanover had learned their lesson and would not repeat the performance from the night before.  As the horn ended for period 1 with a 0-0 score, it was Hanover goalie Harris LaRock and Concord goalie Spencer Burgess who again were the stars at intermission.

 

Rebound goal for Stadheim

      Almost immediately to start the second, Hanover found themselves on the penalty kill after a too many men on the call that was at best a close call, and at worse, well we’ve all had our refereeing experiences at Everett over the years.  Almost immediately, Senior Drew Livingston put the Crimson Tide up walking in on LaRock from the left and beating him high blocker side at 13:22.  Yesterday afternoon this type of Concord push led to Hanover folding – but not tonight.  When Hanover finally got its chance on the man-up deep into the second, Sy Oberting found a streaking Owen Stadheim in the neutral zone who split the Tide defense to fire from the mid slot at Burgess.  Although he stopped the initial blast, Burgess could not control the rebound and Stadheim found the puck back on his stick for an easy put away at 3:42. 1-1.  Almost immediately after the goal, Hanover committed a dehelmeting interference which left them on the kill as the second ended.  With the aggressive fore-check flying, however the Marauders were able to kill the penalty and head in to the second intermission with the tie at 1-1.

 

Lehmann made it 3-2

      With everyone in the crowd expecting a close third period, it was Concord who struck first on a nice Colin Kastle breakaway at 3:10 off a beautiful board pass from deep in the Tide defensive zone.  23 seconds later, the Tide struck again high on LaRock to make it 3-1.  This is where 24 hours earlier, the Marauders had collapsed like San Francisco in an earthquake – but not tonight.  Despite having a much shorter bench than the Crimson tide, Hanover kept pushing and pushing until, on a play reminiscent of Willie Mays’s over-the shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series, captain David Lehmann took a pass from fellow captain Braxton McNulty from the deep defensive zone.  The puck seemed to come over Lehmann’s shoulder and land right on his stick along the near boards at the defensive blue line.  From there, he skated through the neutral zone diagonally to the far left circle where his rip beat Burgess high to make it 3-2 with 3:52 left.

 

      Now the Crimson Tide were as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room filled with rocking chairs as the Marauders were bringing the pressure late in the third.  To make things even worse for the Tide, a tripping penalty with about 90 seconds to go had the Marauders on the power play to complete the game.  Pulling LaRock for a 6 on 4, Hanover seemed to be on the doorstep as the last seconds ticked away, only to get beat on a long empty netter to seal the game at 4-2.

 

      So what did we learn this week about the now second place Marauders? For one, we learned that without bringing the required effort they are very beatable when playing against the top Division 1 echelon teams.  However, that is the same for each team in the top 4-5 in the NHIAA standings.  Most importantly though, we also learned that this team has heart and guts.  Tonight was not their best game.  There were many missed passes, crucial turnovers and a lack of cohesiveness in the offensive third.  The team was playing their second game in two days, and with Concord having a roster of 24 while Hanover has only 17, depth was an issue.  However, this was a game about gaining back respect and having the confidence necessary to go deep into the playoffs.  It would have a plus for Hanover to have won this game, but they got what they needed out of it – they got their swagger back and hopefully a bit of a chip on their shoulder.

 

      Saturday night is the final home regular season game of the year and a chance to honor the seniors Peter Warhold, Harris LaRock, David Lehmann and Braxton McNulty.  Game time is 6:40 against Bishop Brady.

 

      Then it’s playoff time…

GUT CHECK TIME

      In a game that will go down as probably the toughest for the Marauders this season, the Concord Crimson Tide game into a crowded Campion Rink on Tuesday afternoon and dismantled Hanover 6-0.  With the win, the Crimson Tide took over the first place tiebreaker in NHIAA Division 1 with a 14-2 record, while Hanover falls to 14-2 in league play.

 

      For Hanover, this game started off just as it did in the round robin game at the Manchester Holiday tournament – a very even first period.  In fact David Lehmann had the best early chance for either team when his backhander from the low slot went off the mask of Concord senior goalie Spencer Burgess.  However, Concord is a strong senior-laden team, and a blue line turnover at 12:41 led to freshman Mike Stoddard’s takeaway and beating Harris LaRock for a 1-0 lead.  It was all they would need.  Even the usual ferocious Hanover powerplay to end the first period came up with nothing as the teams retreated to the locker rooms.

 

      Any hope that Hanover had to even the score was dashed early in the second when senior Drew Livingston took another neutral zone turnover in to beat LaRock at 3:38.  This was followed two minutes later when Concord’s Shane R….oh you know what, I don’t want to write any more of this.  Hanover got their butts kicked on their home ice.  It was bad.  It was demoralizing.  There were no positives.  No one gets their picture in the blog today.

 

      But…this wasn’t the playoffs, this wasn’t the end to the senior’s hockey career and sure as heck this wasn’t what this team is all about.  The best part too is that in less than 24 hours, these two teams will meet again in Concord.  Hanover has the chance to stomp the Crimson Tide just like they did in December.  A strong effort Wednesday erases today's game result in an instant.  No excuses. No time to be timid.  See you tomorrow at Everett.

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Matty Gardner

(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:  Matty Gardner

Number: 19

Grade: Freshman

Position: Defense

Hometown: Norwich

Years on Varsity: 1

Youth Hockey Experience: I started playing hockey when I was four and lived in Rochester, Minnesota.  When I moved to Vermont I played for the Hanover Wild through Pee Wees.  I played Bantam for the Manchester Junior Monarchs and Vermont Flames and split-season Midget with the Vermont Flames.

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High: Playing for coach Dodds is awesome and being part of the Hanover tradition.

Best Team Hockey Moment: Winning the Pee Wee Tier I state tournament for Pee Wee Elite.

Best Personal Hockey Moment: When I was playing the Rhode Island Saints in Tier I Regionals I had a breakaway goal to win the game in the third period.

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey: Soccer

Favorite Professional Team: New England Patriots

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself:  I've won our family's summer cornhole tournament on Martha's Vineyard for four straight years.

 

Blogs coming this week: Tuesday and Wednesday Concord game recaps; Friday Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight; Saturday Bishop Brady game recap

 

TRAP GAME AVOIDED

      Providing the bookends to the Marauder’s current eight game winning streak, the Manchester Memorial Crusaders came to Campion Rink for a Saturday night contest that saw Hanover improve to 14-1 in NHIAA play (17-2 overall) with a 9-1 win.  With the victory, Hanover maintains its first place lead on rival Concord, who will be coming to town in three days to determine first place in New Hampshire Division 1.



Harris has got it - no worries

      But first things first, as Hanover needed to take care of business against the Crusaders in a classic trap game leading into the big match-up coming up this week.  With very few students in the crowd owing to it being school vacation week, the energy was a little diminished at Campion, despite a new look starting line-up that featured Sy Oberting on the wing.  The real story of the first period, however, was Crusader senior goalie Chuck Degust who was pummeled from the opening shift but kept coming up big again and again to keep the Marauders off the board.  A dangler on the goal line that was barely missed by an outstretched Charlie Plottner and post saves on David Lehmann and Matty Gardner were the closet the Marauders came to going up on the scoreboard.  Even the vicious Hanover powerplay, despite getting two good chances, could not solve Degust and the period ended 0-0.



Goal for Duncan

      Whether it was the disappointing 0-0 score or the smell of pizza in the lobby from the previously concluded high school game, Hanover came out hungry to start the second period and continued to push into the offensive zone.  In a scrum on an own goal credited to Toño Correa on assists from Owen Stadheim and Oberting, the Marauders took the lead at 3:43.  However, just nine seconds later Crusader alternative captain Jared Chandonnet beat goalie Harris LaRock stick side high streaking down the right side to tie the score at 1.  As the Hanover fans started to become a bit uncomfortable with the 1-1 score as the clock ticked through the halfway point, it was LaRock, as he has done so many time this year, who kept the Marauders grounded.  He stoned two Manchester breakaways on uncharacteristic Marauder defensive turnovers to keep the game tied.  Finally, at 9:20 Plottner found the net on a nice back door feed from Peter Warhold to put Hanover up 2-1.  From then on the flood gates opened and in rapid succession Duncan Bailey’s ripper from the left circle (feeds from Gardner and Stadheim) and Cameron Woods’s short-handed breakaway (on a nice dump from Elias Zinman on a feed from Oberting) had Hanover up 4-1 at the intermission.

      The third period was much more of the same as five different Hanover players scored. In fact, with eight different Marauders finding the net on the evening, there was more wealth distribution tonight than would have been seen in a Bernie Sanders administration.*  First up was Oberting with one of his classic blasts from the left point (pass from Stadheim) through a screening Lehmann to make it 5-1.  Next game the shifty Zinman in the slot on a feed from Woods and Patrick Daly.  Rowan Wilson got into the action on a nice left-handed wrister from the high slot that sent Degust to the showers and brought in junior Matthew Scott.  Gardner then introduced Scott to the Hanover offense with a top-down wrister on a feed from Stadheim (his fourth assist in case you lost track).  Finally Plottner ended the carnage in front on passes from Wilson and Warhold.  Final score 9-1 with Hanover achieving their highest offensive output of the season.

Wilson found the net

      This win put the current Hanover victory streak at 8, with the Marauders outscoring their opponents 40-6 during that stretch.  On the year in Division 1, they have outscored opponents 69-17 in NHIAA play with contributions coming from everywhere.  LaRock continues to provide the stable senior leadership that is so critical, making 9 saves on the night but most importantly stopping key breakaways when the game hung in the balance in the first and second periods.


      The win also clinches a first round bye and a home game in the upcoming NHIAA Division 1 playoffs. 

      So the big elephant in the rink tonight was clearly the two games coming up this week against second place Concord.  Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 the Crimson Tide visit Campion and the next day Hanover travels to Everett Arena at 5:30.  If you haven’t already started to develop flu-like symptoms so you have to leave work early on Tuesday, now would be the time to start preparing your schedule for a 2:00 pm departure.  Make sure the illness lasts for a few days so you can get to the game on Wednesday as well.

*Please forgive the political humor but there is only so much you can do with a 9-1 game in mid-February

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Harris LaRock

(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:  Harris LaRock

Hair Nickname(s): This hair is too good for a nickname

The Story Behind the Hair:  I don’t know.  I just think it looks good.  Everyone does it for hockey but I just do it because I look good. 

Hair Product(s):  Weekends and no practice I go with the Dr. Bronner’s 18:1 all in one.  Days when we have morning practice I use whatever someone has next to me.  I’ll take whatever people can give me as long as my hair looks good.

Hair Primping Secret(s): I have first period off so after practice I go home and comb the sides back and make sure it’s looking good on the ends.  The secret is just that I don’t just take care of it in the locker room.

One Word to Describe Your Family’s Feelings about Your Hair:  I don’t think they really care. My older brother Addison two years ago wanted to get matching mullets but he didn’t get it so I was left hanging with my mullet.

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Most Like to Have: Hans or Rowan – they have good hair, especially Rowan.  He doesn’t do anything to his hair but it looks OK.

Rink Talk:  Leading all of NHIAA Division I goaltenders in goals against average and playing every minute of every game for the Marauders this year, we assumed Harris’s strut had everything to with his leading the team to a first place record approaching playoff time.  Boy were we mistaken.  After meeting for the hair interview this week, we now know that Harris’s confidence has nothing to do with his sterling play between the pipes and everything to do with the salad he is currently sporting around town.  Think you can leave your little brother hanging with a mullet this year Addison?  No chance now that Harris is bringing it with the Dr. Bonners 18:1. Hey Wilson, Williams, Seelig and Zinman and any of you other teammates who are getting shoutouts for great hair in the profile this year and are vying for team hair supremacy – while all of you guys are pulling out your notebooks during period 1, you know where your competition is?  He is at home, combing and primping and getting ready for his grand school entrance for period 2 because by the time you are a hockey playing high school senior, you have life’s priorities completely figured out – college, hockey, hair – and not necessarily in that order.  Social studies or salad? We all know which choice this senior savant has made. So despite being stymied all year in our attempt to find that telltale goalie quirk (i.e. Grant Snow kissing the pipes before every game) that all of the greats have, we now know that Harris’s quirk is taking care of that world class flow.  If the rest of the league was smart and wanted to beat the Marauders this year, forget about double-teaming Lehmann, instead just skate up to Harris in the first period and whisper this confidence-drainer in his ear “The split ends are killing the flow LaRock.” Great goalie, exquisite flow, even better kid – thanks for the incredible year Harris.  

A LOVELY VALENTINE'S DAY WIN

      While many high school boys on Valentine’s Day afternoon were off searching the local gas stations for last-minute $6 rose bouquets, the boys on the Hanover Marauders hockey team spent the afternoon taking on the Bishop Brady Giants in their first NHIAA game in 11 days.  Returning back to Tri-Town arena, the site of their first league game of the year against Londonderry, the Marauders skated off the rust in a 5-1 victory to go to 13-1 in Division 1 (16-2 overall).

Hat Trick for the Captain

      If we could customize conversation hearts for the 3-11 Giants in the first period, “Braxton McNulty” would be written in big bold pink letters.  The senior captain erupted for three goals to have the Marauders up 3-0 not even seven minutes into the game.  Each goal was on a prodigious blast from the point with assists going to Rowan Wilson x 2, Cameron Woods, Owen Stadheim, Charlie Plottner and Peter Warhold.  But make no mistake, these goals were all McNulty just ripping it in from the blue line in the face of some tidy Marauders screening.  Cam Woods finished the scoring on a scrum for the Marauders on assists from Duncan Bailey and Elias Zinman to make it 4-0.  A late Giant goal with a minute left on the period made it 4-1 at intermission with Hanover outshooting the home team 17-5.

3 points for Woods

      The early lead must have led to some complacency in the Upper valley boys, and perhaps a little more rust from the long layoff was still at play, as the second and third periods were a somewhat mundane affair.  The second period was notable for power play opportunities on both sides that went unfulfilled and the third saw only one change on the score in front with Woods netting his second on assists from McNulty and Patrick Daly.  Outshooting the Giants 41-15, Harris LaRock continued to be a stalwart in the nets for Hanover, which leads Division 1 in fewest goals allowed.

      With the win, Hanover cemented its hold on the top spot in Division 1 with a one game lead over the Concord Crimson Tide who sit at 12-2 after a big victory at Pinkerton tonight.  While Hanover will return home this Saturday night for the second of two this year with Manchester Memorial, all eyes will be on next week’s key home-and-home back-to-back contest with Concord.  As the final league standings come closer to finalizing with only two weeks left in the regular season, games like tonight’s affair are critical to put in the win column.  Nice work this Valentine's Day Marauders – make sure you hug your mom tonight.

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Hans Williams

(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:  Hans Williams

Number: 20

Grade: Junior

Position: Forward

Hometown: Norwich

Years on Varsity: 3

Youth Hockey Experience: I played for the Hanover Wild from house Mites to Bantams.  I was born on a lunar eclipse on Christmas Day so it always felt like I was playing up a year.

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High: The boys.  This is unique to Hanover.  We have a long lasting legacy in this league.  We have always been the smallest school and always make the playoffs.  There is a pressure to live up that and we always live up to it.

Best Team Hockey Moment: The best is yet to come

Best Personal Hockey Moment: When I was playing Squirt White I had two goals on breakaways in a 2-0 win

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey: Soccer

Favorite Professional Team: Pittsburgh Penguins

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself:  I write and record my own songs and play guitar.

 

Blogs coming this week: Wednesday Bishop Brady game recap; Friday Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight; Saturday Manchester Memorial game recap

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Henry Bernard

(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:  Henry Bernard

Hair Nickname(s): Shaggy; Biebs

The Story Behind the Hair:  In sixth grade I had shaggy hair and wanted it to be just like Justin Bieber. I told my mom that I wanted to grow it out but we were going to visit grandma and she said I needed to look nice for grandma so I cut it.

Hair Product(s): Occasional 2:1 Head and Shoulders

Hair Primping Secret(s): I shower and then just let it go.  I don’t comb it or anything.

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

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Most Like to Have: Charlie – his hair just stays where it is and doesn’t have any complications.  I admire that about his hair.

Rink Talk:  We at rink talk have found a kindred soul in this sophomore goalie in our mutual admiration for Justin Bieber.  Prior to the hair interview, it was our belief that pre-teen girls, occasionally Selena Gomez, and we at rink talk were the only ones who loved the Biebs, so we were thrilled when Henry shared his admiration. But the goalies are always the players who have a reputation of being a little bit out there, and between the Bieb love and the only occasional use of hair products, Henry fits the goalie mold perfectly.  As our hero Justin once sang “Is it too late now to say sorry?” – nothing to be sorry about Henry.  Strong hair, great kid.

 

 

Hanover Hockey Player Spotlight: Toño Correa

(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:  Toño Correa

Number: 7

Hometown: Norwich

Position: Wing

Years on Varsity: 1

Year: Sophomore

Youth Hockey Experience: I lived in St. Paul, Minnesota where I started playing hockey until I moved to Norwich.  When I moved here in fourth grade I played for the Hanover Wild until high school. 

Favorite Part of Playing for Hanover High:  The guys.  We are always together and we get along really well.

Best Team Hockey Moment: Beating Trinity in our first game in the last minute when my line went out and scored the winning goal on Cam’s tip.

Best Personal Hockey Moment: Scoring my first varsity goal this week against Manchester Central. 

Favorite Sport Besides Hockey: Lacrosse

Favorite Professional Team:  Boston Celtics

One Interesting Fact to Share About Myself:  I plan to be the first Colombian NHL player

RETURN TO THE QUEEN CITY

      Making their sixth trip to Manchester’s JFK arena this season, Hanover came away with a 7-2 victory against host Manchester Central in a Saturday afternoon game to raise their Division 1 leading record to 12-1 (15-2 overall).  With the host Little Green (1-11 on the season) posting congratulatory flyers around the rink and announcing coach Dick Dodd’s recent 500^th victory over the PA system, it almost felt a little like a home game for the visiting Marauders as they continued their dominance in the Queen City.

Four points for Sy

      However, as the game got underway, Manchester Central wasn’t the only group that was a little green to start, as the Hanover partisans in attendance might have felt some mild nausea with the hosts taking the early lead on a goal from Manchester senior captain John McNichole at 3:12.  However, Patrick Daly, a recent JV call-up to replace the injured Hans Williams, answered for the Marauders just over a minute later with his first varsity goal to tie the score at 4:21.  From then on, Hanover was in complete control, scoring three more goals in the period – Sylas Oberting and two from David Lehmann – versus allowing one more Manchester tally to finish the period up 4-2.  Assists  going to Braxton McNulty x 2, Rowan Wilson, Cameron Woods, Owen Stadheim, Matty Gardner and Oberting.

      The second and third featured more of the same dominance for Hanover, with two goals in the second (Woods and Toño Correa (first varsity goal) with assists Oberting x 2 and Zinman) and one in the third from Charlie Plottner (assisted from Duncan Bailey and Wilson).  Harris LaRock (16 saves) stood tall in net to record his 15^th victory – earning every second of time this year between the pipes.

First varsity goal for Correa

      This game was one of those where there was lots of playing time to go around, and a chance to get experience for all the players in the rink in which the New Hampshire Division 1 state tournament semifinals will be held.  Uncharacteristically, for the first time this year, Hanover had no opportunities on the power play, and saw themselves in the box three times.  Fortunately, the Marauder penalty kill was up to the challenge in fending off any of the Little Green’s man-up opportunities.

      Said Dodds “This was our 6^th time playing at this rink.  Hopefully we can make it back here for the semifinals. It feels like we have spent more time here than at Campion.”

      This Wednesday, Hanover faces off against third place Concord who only has one loss on the season in Division 1 (3-2 to Pinkerton).  It will be the first of two match-ups in Divisional play between these longtime foes.  The 4-1 Marauder win against the Crimson Tide in the Holiday tournament semifinals feels like a century ago and playoff seeding will become increasingly important as the march toward the playoffs continues.  Game time is 7:00 pm at Campion.

     

Hanover Hockey Hair Spotlight: Cam Woods

(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: Cam Woods

Hair Nickname(s): Luscious

The Story Behind the Hair:  I’ve been growing my hair for three months now.  Last year I grew it for five months before cutting it.  I’m getting close to my maximum hair potential right now.

Hair Product(s): Herbal Essence Regeneration

Hair Primping Secret(s): Every morning I shower, but the key is I put the conditioner on before the shampoo.

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

Teammate Whose Hair You Would Most Like to Have: Sammy Seelig

Rink Talk:  We at rink talk have heard a lot of comments questioning things about the Hanover team this year like “There’s no way you can be in first place with such a young team” or “There’s no way #16 can be smart enough to get into Wake Forest with a beard like that.” However the biggest question about the team in our humble opinion is how Cam can get his great flow on with his regimen of using conditioner before the shampoo.  This is an unheard of disruptive innovation that has us questioning all that we held true in hockey hair design.  If this gets out, it will turn the hockey hair world upside down, and if it hits the mainstream, well let’s just say there will be lots of hockey moms beating the doors down at We’re Makin Waves this week to get the “Cam Woods Conditioner/Shampoo Reverse and Flow” treatment (probably cost about $200 if our past experience in hockey mom hair economics holds to form - that's equal to the price of a good stick to put it in understandable terms for this audience, and not nearly as valuable).  Strong work Cam for stirring the pot in the hockey hair world – the two game winning goals you’ve scored this year rank a distant second to your hair contribution.