Death Skate

Coming after what was their worst loss of the season just four days earlier with an uninspired, grit-less, fecal-show against Londonderry, the Hanover Marauders came into this afternoon’s game against Trinity facing a turning point.  With a gaudy 8-1-1 record and in second place in NHIAA Division 1, one would expect the Pioneers to be probably reminiscing about last March at Campion when they ended Hanover’s season with an upset victory in the state quarterfinals.  But little did the Pioneers know as they immigrated up 1-89 that Dick Dodd’s Marauders team – since that Londonderry loss – had not seen one puck in practice.  That compared to the Marauder coaching staff these past few days, Herb Brooks appeared sweeter then Catherine Farrell.  That Wayne Burwell had them all benching twice their weight and that the Hanover parents had fed their boys – even the vegans - nothing but bloody red meat with a side of mean for three straight nights. 

So into that context the now 7-3 (9-4 overall) Marauders came out and put on an ass-whipping (sorry public school censors but your historical overreach does not extend to this blog) on Trinity that sent them back to the Queen City probably wondering how the heck this happened.  Because what we saw tonight shows what happens when you want it more, play more physical, play smarter, coach better – that talent alone doesn’t win hockey games.  Dick Dodd’s Marauders wanted it more tonight, and today they showed that they can beat anyone as they came away with the 3-1 victory.

There wasn’t too much to report in the first except that you could tell the boys had a chip on their shoulder – heck even the Hanover moms looked a little pissed (at least our family’s mom did).  High energy, aggressive fore-check, D holding and Trinity killer Luke Ives between the pipes.  But in the second the boys got it going early when Jack Stadheim kicked it out to Tom Lyons at the point who rifled in a wrister on senior Ryan Brewitt who like Rick-O-Shay kicked it back to a waiting John Hill poaching exactly where he should be in front and hammered it home at 1:22.  But almost immediately thereafter, in a new wrinkle in the hockey rules, Trinity’s Marc L’Herueux gang tackled Ives as he lay sprawled in the net on the goal line having made the save.  However, I guess there is a new position in hockey called fullback and with the goal-line push, Trinity was awarded a dubious goal to tie it at 1-1.  The rest of the period featured strong penalty kills by both teams, with Trinity really owning the better of play to finish the period knotted at 1.

Into the third they went and from the beginning, you could see that all of that controlled anger since the Saturday night massacre at Tri-town was starting to have its effects on the visitors.  Hanover was hitting harder, skating faster, trash-talking more – love this game.  But despite out shooting Trinity 10-2 on the period, Hanover could not finish it.  Both teams had great chances with the Pioneers rattling the post and Cam Woods’s sniping one that Brewitt’s quick glove hand stoned.  But it was deep in the third when the Pioneers committed the Cardinal sin – well maybe not the Cardinal sin but bad enough – and were rung up for the penalty while pressing in their own offensive zone.  Down the puck game to an offensive zone face-off for Hanover, and from there Stadheim collected it at the near left circle, walked it in a few steps and lightning fired it on net with a screening Curtis Rice and Woods in front.  Not sure if it was tipped or not but doesn’t matter – 2-1 Hanover with just over a minute left.  In desperation, Trinity then pulled their goalie and Rowan Wilson iced it with the empty-netter with 2 seconds left.

Ives was awesome and lived up to his Pioneer-killer reputation making 25 saves on the night.

So with the win, Hanover sets up a showdown with Trinity at their place in two and half weeks.  From now until then we get to rumble with Salem, Concord twice and Exeter amongst others.  Tonight we will allow one green bean on the dinner plate, then it’s back to the brown meals until Saturday.  And I have a feeling the boys don't see another puck in practice until Presidents Day.

See you at the rink…