Sat. 3/2/24
NEPSAC Boys' Hockey Tournament
* Semifinals Highlights *
Saturday, March 2, 2024
ELITE 8:
@ (#2) Kimball Union 4, (#6) Salisbury 3 (OT)
Just as in Wednesday's quarterfinal win over St. George's, KUA once again went to OT, this time knocking off Salisbury, 4-3, on an unassisted goal by senior Jack Sadowski. It was the UNH recruit's -- and USHR's Player of the Year -- second goal of the game to go along with an assist.
After a scoreless first period, KUA senior Sam LeDrew, a St. Lawrence recruit who plays the opposite wing from Sadowski on a line centered by junior Corwith Simmers, scored a powerplay goal midway through the second to put KUA up 1-0.
At 11:07 of the third period, Sadowski scored on an outside shot, with assists going to Jack McMinn and Andrew O'Sullivan.
Things were looking good for the Wildcats, carrying a two-goal lead with under seven minutes to play on home ice. But the picture wasn't so rosy for Salisbury. Crimson Knights' head coach Andrew Will called a time-out and marshaled his forces.
Thirty-three seconds later, Salisbury made it a one-goal game on PG defenseman Zach Walsh's goal. Forty-two seconds after that Jared Rothman tied it up. And forty-eight seconds after that, Duke Gentzler gave Salisbury a 3-2 lead. Bing-bing-bing, Three goals in a minute-and-a-half. And a one-goal lead with under five minutes to play.
But KUA didn't roll over. Less than three minutes later, they regained the momentum when Wildcats' senior Jack Baar, who'd been out with an injury since January and was just cleared to play, tied things up at 16:07 of the third.
The game went to OT, Sadowski scored and KUA is on to the Elite 8 Championship Game tomorrow against Cushing, a 5:00 pm start at Harvard.
@ (#1) Cushing 4, (#4) Avon Old Farms 1
A third-period goal from Cushing junior forward Max Dineen broke a 1-1 tie and turned out to be the game-winner as the host Penguins would add a couple of late empty-netters for a 4-1 win over Avon Old Farms in a matchup of last season's Elite 8 Championship game, which was won by Avon.
In what was an excellent prep semi in front of a packed house at Cushing's Iorio Arena, the Penguins came out aggressively, taking the first seven shots of the game and pinning Avon in its end. However, Avon turned it around, taking the next half-dozen shots and connecting for the game's first goal when senior Ryan Flaherty took a pass from classmate Lefty Markonidis and released a long wrister from the left faceoff circle that beat Cushing senior G Marko Bilic through a screen at 10:52.
Less than two minutes later, Cushing struck for a goal of its own as PG Tanner Hunt converted a pass from senior AJ Sacco off a rush by Brendan Agnew at 12:40. From there, it was 'game on' as there would be nearly 30 minutes of scoreless -- though compelling -- play before Dineen's game-winner. Both teams played tight hockey, with excellent play in the neutral zone and in defending their end.
"I thought our team D was pretty good," Cushing head coach Paul Pearl said. "That was as well as we've played without the puck this season."
There was controversy less than four minutes into the third when it appeared that Avon took a 2-1 lead as Brendan Tighe scored on a low wrister from the slot that beat Bilic low glove-side. However, seconds before that sequence, the puck appeared to hit a stantion, but Pearl said it hit the chest of one of his players on the bench and rebounded onto the ice. The officials waved the goal off. Avon head coach John Gardner protested, but to no avail.
Less than two minutes later, Cushing PG Bronson Hunt, on the forecheck, forced a turnover behind the Avon net. Senior Emerson Marshall picked it up and made the pass out front to junior Max Dineen, who made it 2-1 -- and that was all the scoring Cushing needed.
Kole Hyles and Dineen would add empty-netters in the final two minutes for the final 4-1 margin of victory.
Both goalies were outstanding. Cushing senior G Marco Bilic (18/19) earned the win; Avon sophomore Anthony Palmer (31/33) took the hard-luck loss.
After the game, Avon's Gardner said if his team had won it all, that he would retire. But that didn't happen, so he'll be back to continue his storied career for another year. That's good news for prep hockey.
LARGE SCHOOLS:
@ (#3) Dexter 3, (#7) Andover 1
Dexter sophomore G Colin Davis kicked out 33 shots, and Dexter got one goal in each period -- two from Cullen Emery, the second of which was a 5x3; and one from Tyler Hamilton, also a 5x3 -- to gain a trip to the Large School Championship against #5 Kent Sunday.
Junior Nathan Porter assisted on two of Dexter's goals.
Andover's only goal, a PPG, came off the stick of freshman Alex Theodore.
Andover senior G Ben Skowronek (29/32) played well in the loss.
@ (#5) Kent 5, (#8) Berkshire 4
By late in the second period, Kent had built a 4-0 lead and looked to be cruising, but Berkshire scored four of the next five goals (two on the powerplay) and, trailing 5-4, was within one goal of tying things up with three and a half minutes remaining.
Alas, the Bears could get no closer and it'll be the Lions advancing to the Large School Championship, facing Dexter at 2:30 pm Sunday.
For Kent, which was outshot, 36-25, Luke Dow (1g,1a), Gio DiGiulian (1g,1a), Patrick Walsh (1g,1a) and Owen Mahar (2a) each had two points. Stefano Pietrantonio and Nathan DiChiara each had single goals.
For Berkshire, Josh Williams (1g,1a) led the scorers. Evan Regan, Stephen Campbell, and Duncan Thompson had single goals.
Kent senior G Aidan Hopewell (32/36) picked up the win. Berkshire went with their seniors: Kyle Bolduc (17/21) for the first two periods, and Tommy Adams (3/4) relieving him in the third.
SMALL SCHOOLS:
@ (#1) Rivers 5, (#4) Frederick Gunn 0
Rivers seniors Jacob Kulas (2g,2a) and goaltender Jason Delehoy (20/20) led the way for the Red Wings. Jonathan Rivard, Will Hatten, and Carter Meyer added single goals.
Rivers advances to the Small School Championship against #3 Canterbury on Sunday at noon.
@ (#3) Canterbury 3, (#7) Pomfret 2
The Saints peppered Pomfret's senior G Beau Johnson with 49 shots. Only three eluded him, but that was enough for Canterbury to advance to the Small School Championship vs. #1 Rivers on Sunday at noon.
Despite the 49-18 shot differential, Pomfret hung in there. Every time Canterbury scored, Pomfret came back with a goal of its own. But when Canterbury senior F Patrick Heslin scored at 7:42 of the third, Pomfret had no answer.
Canterbury senior D Jake Stevens, with a goal and two assists, led all scorers. Canterbury junior G Maxim Pitts(16/18) picked up the win.
The schedule for Championship Sunday at Harvard's Bright Hockey Center:
Small School Championship -- #1 Rivers vs. #3 Canterbury, 12:00 pm
Large School Championship -- #3 Dexter vs. #5 Kent, 2:30 pm
Elite 8 Championship -- #1 Cushing vs. #2 Kimball Union, 5:00 pm
Sun. 3/3/24
NEPSAC Girls' Hockey Tournament Championships
Sunday, March 3, 2024
At The Noble & Greenough School
Chuck Vernon Tournament (Elite 8):
#1 Nobles vs. #2 Williston, 4:00 pm -- Nobles, 3-1
1st period: N&G -- Catherine McCool (Rachel Zhao, Gretta Hulbig)
2nd period: N&G -- Sophia Levering (Francie Ames, Lily Bromley)
3rd period: N&G -- Olivia Maffeo (Meghan Loeber, Calleigh Brown)
WN -- Riley Stocker (Camille Armaganian, Emily Hamann)
John Cooper Tournament MVP: Nobles' G Anya Zupkofska (30 saves)
***
Patsy Odden Tournament (Large Schools):
#4 Buckingham Browne & Nichols vs. #3 Dexter Southfield, 1:30 pm -- BB&N, 1-0
1st period: BB&N -- Savana Littlewood (Anika Singh, Kate Glantz)
Moe Tarrant Tournament MVP: BB&N senior goaltender Alexsa Caron (33-save shutout)
***
Dorothy Howard Tournament (Small Schools):
#2 New Hampton vs. #1 Groton, 11:00 am -- New Hampton, 2-1
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: NH -- Reese Luber (Kayleigh Michaud-Nolan, True Thompson)
3rd period: Groton -- Tina Scalese (Jaelyn Trudell)
NH -- Kayleigh Michaud-Nolan (Caroline Thomas, True Thompson)
Kimberly Nanoff Tournament MVP: New Hampton goaltender Vera Lee
Sun. 3/3/24
NEPSAC Girls' Hockey Tournament
* Championship Sunday *
Sunday, March 3, 2024
-- At Noble & Greenough School; Dedham, Mass.
Livestream (all games): https://bbiglive.com/nepsac
Chuck Vernon Tournament (Elite 8)
#1 Nobles vs. #2 Williston, 4:00 pm -- Nobles, 3-1 (Final)
Patsy Odden Tournament (Large School):
#3 Dexter Southfield vs. #4 BB&N, 1:30 pm -- BB&N, 1-0 (Final)
Dorothy Howard Tournament (Small School):
#1 Groton vs. #2 New Hampton, 11:00 am -- New Hampton, 2-1 (Final)
Thurs. 2/29/24 -- Updated Sat. 3/2/24
NEPSAC Girls' Hockey Tournament
* Semifinals Schedule *
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Chuck Vernon Tournament (Elite)
#4 Loomis @ #1 Nobles, 3:00 pm -- Nobles, 1-0
https://livebarn.com/en/
#3 Andover @ #2 Williston, 3:45 pm -- Williston, 3-1
https://www.williston.com/livestream/
Patsy Odden Tournament (Large School)
#4 BB&N @ #1 Choate, 2:00 pm -- BB&N, 2-1 (OT)
https://events.locallive.tv/events/139848
#3 Dexter @ #2 Westminster, 1:00 pm -- Dexter, 5-1
https://www.westminster-school.org/live
Dorothy Howard Tournament (Small School)
#4 Millbrook @ #1 Groton, 2:00 pm -- Groton, 5-2
https://events.locallive.tv/school/groton-school
#6 Rivers @ #2 New Hampton, 2:30 pm -- New Hampton, 6-1
https://www.newhampton.org/quick-links/nhs-live
Sat. 2/24/24 -- Updated Mon.
NEPSAC Girls' Hockey Tournament
* Quarterfinals Schedule *
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Chuck Vernon Tournament (Elite)
#8 St. Paul's @ #1 Nobles, 5:00 pm -- Nobles, 4-3
#7 Tabor @ #2 Williston, 4:30 pm -- Williston, 8-1
#6 Deerfield @ #3 Andover, 4:30 pm -- Andover, 4-0
#5 Kent @ #4 Loomis, 3:00 pm -- Loomis, 1-0
Patsy Odden Tournament (Large School)
#1 Choate -- bye
#2 Westminster -- bye
#6 Exeter @ #3 Dexter, 6:15 pm -- Dexter, 4-0
#5 Thayer @ #4 BB&N, 4:00 pm -- BB&N, 3-0
Dorothy Howard Tournament (Small School)
#1 Groton -- bye
#2 New Hampton -- bye
#6 Rivers @ #3 Frederick Gunn, 6:15 pm -- Rivers, 4-3 (OT)
#5 Tilton @ #4 Millbrook, 2:00 pm (at Deerfield) -- Millbrook, 2-1
New England Prep Hockey News
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