WEST LEBANON — It’s a three-hour drive to Beekmantown, N.Y., a settlement of about 6,000 people tucked between Plattsburgh and the Canadian border. The travel might be worthwhile to witness the Hanover High girls hockey team’s rematch with the Eagles on Jan. 20.
That’s because the interstate rivals clashed in fierce and fabulous fashion on Saturday at Campion Rink, playing to a 2-2 overtime tie. Contested with postseason intensity, the matchup was fast and physical and saw all three of its breakaways denied.
A late goalmouth scramble led to shoves, punches and bodies sailing sideways. Hanover’s Sage McGinley-Smith and Beekmantown’s Bailey Carter shuffled to the penalty box, but an ill humor permeated both sides.
The teams have played eight times during the past five years, and seven of those contests have resulted in margins of two goals or less. Hanover is 5-2-1 against the Eagles, a perennial New York section champion, during that stretch.
“We like to play them because almost every game is like that,” said 15th-year Hanover coach John Dodds, whose habit of scheduling against foes from New York, Vermont and Massachusetts has helped the Marauders win the last 10 NHIAA titles.
Saturday’s meeting didn’t start well for the hosts, who surrendered a goal after just 32 seconds. It would be hard for a puck to move more slowly than the one that crept from the left circle and inside the far post, but junior goaltender Rebekah Rudd somehow couldn’t find Celine Juneau’s shot.
“That was unexpected, but we didn’t let it block out our goals of playing with intensity and winning,” said Hanover senior Meredith Morhun. “These games have a lot of energy and back-and-forth, and I made sure our new players knew what they were getting into.”
The Eagles (7-2-1) scored on their third shot as well. It came midway through the first period when Leah Coulombe’s pass from below the right circle made it into the slot, from where Bailey Carter banged in a one-timer. The first intermission was not enjoyable for the hosts.
“Some people thought the roof was caving in,” Dodds said wryly, arching an eyebrow in the direction of assistants Tessa Hill and Tucker Garrity-Hanchett. “There was talk of shifting the lines around, but we stuck to our guns and bounced back well. Rebekah made up her mind that she was going to shut the door.”
Rudd finished with 21 saves, while counterpart Brianne Knight stopped 20 shots.
Hanover’s comeback began with the help of a Coulombe cross-checking penalty four minutes into the second period. The hosts struck on the power play, McGinley-Smith smacking a Kaye Lindsay pass through Knight’s pads. Kalli McDonnell also earned an assist.
The Marauders (2-2-1) pulled into a 2-2 tie four minutes before the second intermission. Again, it was McGinley-Smith from in close, this time at the right post and off feeds from Morhun and Lindsay. The scoreless third period featured Rudd stopping Coulombe on a breakaway, and overtime saw the backstop stone another Eagle from point-blank range.
Dodds praised the efforts of former reserves Pepper Joseph and Sophia Brackett, who two years ago were on the team’s “Black Line” and only played in lopsided games. Brackett blocked six shots, the coach said.
“Their job used to be to cheer on the other players and keep the energy up on the bench,” Morhun said. “It’s nice to see their progression and how they’re ready to be put into critical situations like today.”
Notes: Meredith Morhun won the NHIAA girls golf title last fall. … Garrity-Hanchett, who works at the rink, did double duty by driving the Zamboni before and after the game and between periods. … Lindsay’s older sister, Ella, is a senior forward for Lebanon High, and her older brother, Kordell, is a former Marauders skater. … Dodds’ right hand is bandaged and his little finger broken, the result of a recent fall during one of his own hockey outings. The bench boss said he’s scheduled to see a specialist physician this week. … Hanover’s trip to play at Beekmantown last year took four hours because of a snowstorm. Dodds told that area’s Sun newspaper that he doubted the Marauders, who chartered a private bus, would have made it in a school vehicle.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.