2/26/05
Andover Playoff Bound
Exeter, NH – Andover rolled over Exeter, 7-2, here today, a win that will likely send them to the playoffs, and one that will definitely close the door on Exeter’s postseason hopes.
The way things appear now, Andover will gain the #3 slot for the playoffs, and Thayer #4. St. Paul’s topped Lawrence Academy, 6-3, today, but it appears that St. Paul’s is out nonetheless. Everything will be mathematically finalized at the morning’s coaches meeting and we’ll have the official results for you in the afternoon.
Today’s game, played in front of a packed and raucous house made up equally of fans from both schools, was an odd one, as Andover scored three shorthanded goals, two coming after Exeter pulled goaltender Chris Mannix in order to turn a 5-on-3 into a 6-on-3.The first time came in the second period with Andover ahead, 4-0; the second time came in the third, with Andover up 6-1.
In addition, Exeter scored on a penalty shot in the third period.
As strange as all that was, equally odd was the fact that Exeter outshot Andover, 37-23. That’s not a good indicator of the play, though, as Andover forwards were getting high-quality shots and cashing in, while many ofExeter’s shots were harmless attempts from the perimeter. As for the tough chances, Andover goalie Matt Ward was up to the task.
Andover struck first, when Kevin Maresco made a short pass from the slot to J.P. Martignetti, who tucked it inside the post, to Mannix’s glove side, 4:17 into the game.
The next two Andover goals pretty much indicated what was to be in store for Exeter.
On the first, normally sure-footed Exeter defenseman Kevin Crane fell at his own blue line, allowing Andover junior forward Chris Cahill to strip him of the puck and break in alone for a short-handed goal.
With 55 seconds left in the period, Cahill struck again, banging an Exeter forward into the boards, taking the puck from him, walking it to the top of the left faceoff circle, and snapping one up under the crossbar – a big-time goal, one of the best we’ve seen this season – and, to Exeter diehards, a disheartening one.
The first period ended with Andover up, 3-0.
At 3:29 of the second Andover’s Maresco fired a shot from the slot that went over the net and somehow came back out front where it was knocked home to make the score 4-0 Andover. Junior defenseman Anthony Christiano was given credit for the goal.
Halfway through the period, Andover had two players in the box and, with the faceoff in Andover’s end, Exeter head coach Dana Barbin pulled Mannix to give his team a 6-on-3.
It almost paid off when Tommy Price had a great opportunity from the side of the net. But the rebound came to Andover sophomore Joe Smith, out by the right faceoff circle. Smith fired it the length of the ice, right into the empty net, giving Andover a 5-0 lead at the 9:59 mark.
Exeter finally got on the board at the 10:08 mark when, still with the two-man advantage, Tommy Price got the puck out front to Michael Doherty, the younger brother of former Andover and UNH defenseman John Doherty, who knocked it past Ward to cut the Andover lead to 5-1.
With 3:44 to go in the second, Andover’s Maresco walked in from the right face-off circle and fired it past Mannix to make it 6-1.
Roughly 10 minutes into the third, with Andover’s Martignetti and Cahill both in the box for interference, Barbin again pulled Mannix to gain the 6-on-3. This time Exeter got several good opportunities in tight, causing Ward to scramble and come up with some nice saves. Once again, though, Andover finally found room and Maresco scaled the puck into the empty net to make it 7-1.
With under six minutes to go, Exeter’s Crane headmanned a pass to freshman forward Tom Clayton, who broke in alone and was pulled down from behind. Clayton was awarded a penalty shot and fired it past Ward, beating him high to the glove side. The goal, which cut Andover’s lead to 7-2, ended the scoring for the night.
Exeter got one more 6-on-3 when, with 3:13 remaining, Andover’s Cahill was called for interference, his fourth penalty of the game. Once again, Exeter couldn’t cash in.
Afterward, Andover coach Dean Boylan said, “I thought we played hard. We hung together as a team well. Ward played really well, especially those times when we were two men down, and our forwards played hard. We have a talented, hard-working group and if we get in the playoffs, we’ll see what happens.”
2/27/05
Playoff Matchups Announced
Div. I:
#8 Tabor vs #1 Nobles, 3:00 @ Nobles
#7 Cushing vs #2 Berkshire, 4:00 @ Berkshire
#6 Choate vs #3 Loomis, 4:00 @ Loomis
#5 Pomfret vs #4 Lawrence, 4:00 @ Lawrence
Div. II :
#8 Brewster vs #1 GDA
#7 Kingswood vs #2 Gunnery
#6 Middlesex vs #3 Kents Hill
#5 Greenwich vs #4 Brooks
We’ll add in the locations and times of the Div. II games as we learn of them.
Semi-Finals: Saturday, March 5, 2005
Dexter and Southfield Schools, Brookline, MA
Div. II:
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner, 10:00 am
3/6 winner vs. 2/7 winner, 12:00 pm
Div. I:
1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner, 2:00 pm
3/6 winner vs. 2/7 winner, 4:00 pm
Finals: Sunday, March 6, 2005
Div. II Championship Game, 10:30 am
Div. I Championship Game, 12:30 pm
