WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — It will be host Hartford and Upper Valley rival Woodstock in Saturday’s 6 p.m. finals of the sixth annual Philippe Bouthillier boys hockey tournament at Hartford High School.
The Wasps defeated Lebanon during Friday’s opener, followed by the Hurricanes’ dispatching of Vermont rival Burr & Burton.
A recap of the contests:
The Bulldogs scored with a minute remaining to heighten the drama, but couldn’t prevent the Hurricanes from improving to 4-1.
“We did what we needed to win, and it was a good win,” said Hartford coach Todd Bebeau, whose team beat the Bulldogs (2-3) for the second time this season. “But we’ll need to be significantly better to beat Woodstock tomorrow.”
Hartford’s Jacob Dwinell opened the scoring on a breakaway three minutes into the game and slight-but-skilled sophomore Aidan Boonyaharn scored off an assist from his older brother, Bentley, to give the hosts a 2-0 lead after a period. Burr & Burton halved its deficit during the second stanza.
With three minutes remaining in the game, Dwinell raced into the offensive zone’s left side and uncorked a slap shot so hard it bent goaltender Ethan Simonds’ glove backwards. The puck then bounced and trickled inside the net’s far post.
“Jacob was our spark plug tonight,” Bebeau said. “If he’s 110 pounds soaking wet, I’d be surprised. But he fears no one and he’s ferocious out there.”
Freshman goaltender Colby Boyce made 17 saves for Hartford and Simonds stopped 24 for Burr & Burton.
The shorthanded Wasps skated without five players, who were missing because of injury and illness, but scored during the first and third periods. Coach Jon Chamberlain said his team didn’t play with its usual flair and smoothness, but added the lineup was bolstered when senior standout Charles Greene moved back to defense.
“There’s a lot of talent in our locker room, but when the Xs and Os go out the window, you have to play well below the (faceoff) dots and jump on loose pucks,” Chamberlain said. “We’re still trying to find some scoring, but we’re winning the specials teams battle and putting the puck in the net on the power play.
“If we figure out how to generate offense 5-on-5, we’re going to be good down the stretch.”
Woodstock, the two-time Vermont Division II state champion, took advantage of an unnecessary roughness penalty on Lebanon’s Jon Cloud with a minute remaining in the first period. The Wasps (4-1) needed only 20 seconds to zip the puck around the offensive zone, Field Willis scoring at an unguarded right post. Owen Coates and Riley Shepherd earned assists.
Woodstock scored its second goal midway through the third period. Trevor White lunged across the crease and split defenseman Tristan Ouelette and goaltender Toby Cromwell, his reach tucking the puck inside the far post on the right side. Cromwell, who has started each game for the 1-3 Raiders, made 25 saves and his Woodstock counterpart, Henry Greene, stopped 20 shots.
Lebanon coach Jim Damren noted that Friday’s result was a significant improvement from a 7-1 preseason loss to the Wasps, but expressed frustration for his team’s lack of jump and feistiness.
“We lack a sense of urgency,” Damren said. “We did battle drills almost all practice yesterday and it was fine, but when we’re playing a different-colored jersey we don’t win many 50-50 pucks. I don’t know if our kids are intimidated or what, but I’ve stressed to them to not wait for someone else to fight for it.”
Notes: Willis’ father, David, has been hired as Woodstock’s varsity boys lacrosse coach. He served as the JV coach last year under longtime varsity head man Brandon Little, who stepped down after holding the job since 2009… Damren was assisted behind the bench by Ryan Damren, the oldest of his three sons. Ryan Damren is about to begin his senior year at Plymouth State. He filled in for usual assistant Brad Whitaker, who’s vacationing in the Dominican Republic… Hartford’s Kyle Hamilton, a senior three-sport player, has committed to play football at Bates, where he’ll join his brother, Tyler, a Bobcats linebacker.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.