Welcome to NHIAA Division 1

      Well we had all sorts of story lines prepared for the blog tonight as the 3-0 Hanover Marauders travelled down the 1-93 corridor for the second time this week for their grudge match against the evil empire BG Cardinals.  We had the Hanover hicks theme loaded up for it was last year during this game that our Upper Valley boys were christened this by the BG faithful.  We were ready to wax poetic about the mysterious power of the BG goal to move spontaneously off its pegs with just about every Hanover rush bearing down.  We even were going to complement the home team on their in-game music selection and ask how they were able to get away with playing Spinal Tap turn it up to 11 music volumes without angering the neighbors.  As the puck dropped at 4:00 at Skate 3 we were looking forward to a win that would make it three straight over the Cardinals, and put an explanation point into the season entering the Manchester Christmas tournament this week.

      But BG was having none of that.  Not their coaches, not their fans, and most of all, not their players.  When that puck dropped this afternoon in Tyngsboro, Hanover got their first taste of true Division 1 hockey this season.  This wasn’t how many points am I going to get tonight.  This was about surviving an onslaught that had the chance to get ugly really quick.  Coming out on the ice like being shot out of a cannon, the Cardinals dominated the first period with big hits, crisp passes and steady defensive play that limited the Marauders to only a few lackluster chances.  With goals at 9:38 and 11:18, it looked like it was going to be a Cardinals stomping as the Marauders exited the ice for the first period intermission to the sounds of “Country Roads” blaring from the speakers (BG deserves credit here – nicely done on the hicks theme).

      Now there are two ways to go here after being stomped – you fold ‘em or you step up.  Without knowledge of what words of wisdom coach Dodds and his staff imparted to the boys in the locker room, the bet among the Hanover partisans was that the coaches probably were not discussing what the boys wanted for Christmas.  So out they came, and the Marauder looked like a different team.  A huge first minute save on a point blank BG breakaway by goalie Ben Plottner set the tone, and from that point on, the teams pretty much skated even.  Many huge hits, fast puck movement, aggressive back checking – the teams looked even throughout the second.  Finally, on the power play at 1:52, Hanover got on the board when a Matty Gardner pass from behind the net found Sy Oberting up high whose blast from the point made it 2-1.

      Coming out in the third, you half expected the Marauders to score quickly to knot it up.  But BG came out with a little more, and it was the lazy penalties that ended up dooming Hanover in this one.  Up on the power play , the Cardinals made it 3-1 at 5:06 and then put the game out of reach two minutes later when on the 5-3 to make it 4-1.  While Hanover was able to draw closer with a power play sequence from Charlie Plottner in close assisted by Oberting and Curtis Rice at 13:27, the contest ended with the better team tonight having won this game.

      With the loss, the Marauders drop to 3-1 on the season and now face a gauntlet of NHIAA Divcision 1 powerhouses starting in three days when they play Concord in the first game of the Christmas tournament.   While the result tonight was disappointing, there were several positives to take to JKF arena this week.  Hanover got their feet wet, and went toe to toe with one of the best teams in Division 1.  They were also incredibly gritty (some might say a little too gritty on some of the testosterone fueled penalties) in the third period and kept playing hard until the final horn.  Hans Williams had a breakout game, and it is only a matter of time before he is filling up that scoring sheet.  None of the boys got seriously hurt despite some questionable stick and body work by the Cardinals on the Hanover players, especially Joey Goff, the likes of which would have made Reggie Dunlop proud (look it up millennials).  Finally, Pam Graham’s cookies made everything better – thanks for being born Casey.

      So on balance a mixed result tonight for the Marauders as they head into the mini Christmas break.  Next up Concord on Wednesday.  BTW (look it up those over 40) don’t forget that Xmas card for mom.  See you Wednesday.