WEST LEBANON — At this stage of the season, the Lebanon-Stevens-Mount Royal boys hockey team can’t afford to start slowly or chase games. The Raiders haven’t had that many opportunities to get their skills and strategies in order.
Coach Jim Damren is hoping that’s about to change.
LSM played five games in 10 days to open its season in December, but several weather-related postponements have turned January into an inconsistent slog. Damren believes the long break between games hasn’t favored his Raiders, and it showed in a 5-1 loss to Berlin-Gorham on Wednesday night at Campion Rink.
The Mountaineers (9-1) scored a fluky goal on the first rush up the ice, and back-to-back Lebanon penalties led to a second goal for the visitors before the first intermission. Jon Cloud provided the only goal for the Raiders (2-7 overall, 2-5 NHIAA), who saw game action for just the fourth time this month.
“We’ve got a long stretch of games now,” Damren said afterward. “When you’re playing once a week, it’s hard to get into a rhythm. And our schedule is going to get more conducive to finding a rhythm, finding patterns, find what works and doesn’t work. But right now, it’s a bit up in the air.”
The Mounties haven’t lost since dropping their season-opener in mid-December. That skill and opportunism showed in building a 2-0 first-period lead.
Don Paradis scored on the visitors’ first shot at 3:12, flipping a puck that was going to miss the Lebanon net until ticking off a Raider defender’s stick and wrong-footing goaltender Toby Cromwell (16 saves over two periods). Lebanon racked up three straight minor penalties mid-period, leading to Brayden Riendeau’s power-play conversion at 11:36.
Cloud gave Lebanon hope with a nice individual move around freshman Berlin-Gorham goalie Anthony Pizzuto (21 saves) to capitalize on the man-up at 6:35 of the middle stanza, with Hunter Christian getting the sole assist. The Mounties’ Don Paradis drew a minor and misconduct for breaking his stick over his goal after the score, giving the Raiders another power play, but Berlin killed it off and reestablished the two-goal cushion through Zack Giroux at 9:27.
Riendeau added a second goal before the period ended, and Tyler Rousseau put one past Lebanon relief netminder Hunter Robb (three saves) at 6:33 of the third.
Lebanon turns right around and hosts Oyster River on Friday night. It’s part of a stretch of nine contests between Jan. 25 and Feb. 16, one that will determine the Raiders’ playoff fate.
— Greg Fennell
EXETER, N.H. — Paul Dore scored twice and Zak Brice made 25 saves as Kimball Union (17-5-1) topped Phillips Exeter.
After a scoreless first period, the hosts drew the game’s opening goal before the visitors took over. Tomas Mazura finished a Sullivan Mack two-on-one feed just 20 seconds later to tie the game. Dore posted both of his goals for a 3-1 intermission advantage, and Mack tallied into an empty net to cap a one-goal, two-assist afternoon.
KUA hosts Tilton on Saturday.
LYNDON CENTER, Vt. — The Wasps (8-2-2) piled all of their goals into the third period to rally past the Vikings (10-4-0) at Fenton Chester Arena and end their eight-game winning streak.
Daniel Lanove gave Lyndon a 1-0 lead with a second-period goal before Woodstock offered its response. Charles Greene tied the game unassisted, Owen Coates put the Wasps ahead to stay on passes from Andrew Gubbins and Greene, and Gubbins closed the scoring with an unassisted strike. Henry Greene made it stick with 18-save work in the Woodstock goal. Sawyer Goodwin finished with 16 stops for Lyndon.
The Wasps entertain St. Johnsbury on Saturday night at Union Arena.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hurricanes had an early lead but saw the tide turn when the Colonels scored a 3-on-5 shorthanded goal late in the first period.
Ozzie DeFelice scored in the third minute for Hartford with assists to both James McReynolds and Blaine Gour. Brattleboro answered later in the first period, took the lead in the second and then added an empty-netter late in the third to close things out.
The loss marks a measure of payback for the Colonels, who fell at home to the Canes, 2-1, on Dec. 21.
Goalie Colby Boyce had 16 saves for Hartford (8-5-1), which plays host to Northfield on Saturday.
HOOKSETT, N.H. — Meredith Morhun had two goals and Danielle Rudd scored her first career varsity goal to spark the Marauders (6-5-1 overall, 6-3-1 NHIAA) in a road win.
Rudd put Hanover in front in the first period, scoring with an assist to Pepper Joseph. Kaye Lindsay and Natalie Morhun added goals in the second and third before Meredith Morhun closed the book with the final two goals.
Sage McGinley-Smith had a pair of assists. Mackenzie Liu, Greta Schutz and Gail Morse all had assists. Rebekah Rudd had 16 saves to earn Hanover’s fourth shutout of the season. Christina Chow also returned to action after a six-game concussion absence.
The Marauders will host Bishop Guertin on Tuesday.
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — Still searching for their first win of the season, the Hurricanes were tied up with the Redhawks at 3-3 with 12 minutes left to play before surrendering three goals in four minutes.
“The kids are really playing hard. They’re working at it,” Hartford coach Bill Goldsworthy said.
Brianna Roberts scored twice for the Canes (0-11-0). Ceci Spaulding added a goal. Isabelle Stack, Greer McCarty and Julie McDermott all had assists. Goalie Zoey Pfeiffer made 28 saves.
The Canes will resume the search for a win at Burr & Burton on Saturday.
MERIDEN — Shannon Moran threw a 14-save shutout at the Bulls, getting goals from four different teammates for Kimball Union (9-6-0).
Ashley Penney, Kate French, Bella Parento and Delaney Williams provided the goals for KUA. Penney, Williams and French also posted assists, as did Abby Flanagan, Audrey Donohue, Kyra Russman and Gretchen Dann.
KUA takes on Governor’s on Friday night.
WHITEFIELD, N.H. — With five boys in the top six and five girls in the top eight, the Marauders skated to a pair of team wins in a 5K freestyle race at White Mountains Regional High School.
Noah Phipps raced to the boys individual victory for Hanover, posting a time of 11 minutes, 58 seconds, to nip teammate Simon Phipps by just two seconds. John Meehan was fourth (12:37) and Diego Aspinwall took fifth (12:38) to complete the Marauders’ scoring. Peter Burnham was right behind in sixth (12:45) for Hanover.
The Lebanon boys took second as a team. Sawyer Weale was 12th (14:32) for the Raiders, who filled out their four scoring slots with Cooper Bourne (13th, 14:32), Simon Amaro (15th, 14:55) and Seth Carl (16th, 15:29).
Meg Frost (14:26) and Sage Gilbert-Diamond (14:29) finished 2-3 for Hanover in the girls race, trailing only Gilford’s Vanessa Genakos (14:13). Britta Arvold (16:00), June Clark (16:19) and Elsa May (16:26) were 6-7-8 for the Marauders.
Like the boys, Lebanon’s girls took team runner-up honors. Zoe Chinn (ninth, 17:06) and Brianna Debanico (10th, 17:11) had the top times for the Raiders, who also saw Maria Goodwin take 17th place (18:02) and Allison Carl grab 21st (18:38).
Boys team scores: Hanover 392, Lebanon 362, White Mountains 352, Profile 338, Sunapee 318, Gilford 285.
Girls team scores: Hanover 386, Lebanon 359, Profile 344, Sunapee 326, Gilford 287, White Mountains 267.
WHITINGHAM, Vt. — The Eagles (6-3) swept the season series with the Wildcats, this time winning on the road.
With Twin Valley employing a triangle-and-two to slow down sisters Sydney and Hayley Goodwin, Mid Vermont Christian’s offense bogged down. The Eagles responded with stifling defense, holding their hosts to just 13 points through the opening three quarters.
“We played really good defense,” MVCS coach Chris Goodwin said. “We had some great looks, but we need to have other people finish. I’m not complaining about our offense. We rebounded well, got good looks and played good defense. That’s three things to be pleased about.”
Hayley Goodwin paced MVCS with 13 points, and Rachel Horner-Richardson added eight. The Eagles get no rest, returning to action on Thursday at home against Poultney.
THETFORD — Eleven different players had at least a field goal to lead the Panthers (11-1) over the Galloping Ghosts.
Grace Davis (12 points) and Casey MacVeagh (10) were the lone Thetford players in double digits. Kelsey Smith added seven points and Emi Vaughan had six. The Panthers had 22 points in the second quarter to lead, 31-7, at halftime.
Thetford visits Harwood, another of the top teams in VPA Division III, on Friday.
MONTPELIER — Tiffany Longmoore had a game-high 21 points to help the Olympians (8-2) beat the Solons.
Emma Parkin added nine points and Emma DeGoosh had seven. Oxbow led, 27-20, at halftime and then scored 14 points in each of the final two quarters to pull away.
The win gets Oxbow back on track following a tough home loss to Thetford on Friday night. The Olympians had won seven in a row before that game. Oxbow will be back in action at Lake Region on Friday.
WEST CANAAN — Michaela Dowd had 11 points for the Royals, who continue to play shorthanded due to various injuries to key players.
Mascoma (4-9 overall, 3-8 NHIAA) was within 10 points for most of the game before Fall Mountain had 16 points in the fourth quarter to widen the gap.
“We played really hard. They blew us out of the gym earlier (this season). We had a shot to upset them tonight, just didn’t make the shots,” Mascoma coach Walt Hammond said. “Going forward, it shows the program is getting better.”
The Royals host Berlin on Friday.
HOLDERNESS, N.H. — The Bulls (9-7) held the Wildcats (4-8) to just 16 second half points to get their sixth win in nine games against NEPSAC Class C competition.
Kimball Union visits Phillips Exeter on Saturday.
MERIDEN — The Wildcats (14-3) bolted to a 24-point first-half lead en route to their latest victory. Holderness (6-8) got no closer than 11 points. Rob Brown scored 15 of his team-high 22 points in the second half to keep the visitors at bay.
Andrew Hartel (13 points), Rob McRae (13) and Matt Price (12) all hit for double figures for KUA, which hosts Master’s on Saturday.
■
Scores that missed Wednesday’s paper due to deadline. Find updates online at www.vnews.com.
Websterville 52, Mid Vermont 34
QUECHEE — Joel Roberts scored 11 points and Hunter Cooper had eight as the Eagles lost a six-point halftime lead.
MVCS (3-6) came out flat in the third quarter, only scoring three points in the period. The Eagles host Craftsbury on Thursday.
SWANZEY, N.H. — The Tigers persevered through foul trouble to edge the Huskies on Tuesday night.
Riely Skarin had 17 points to pace Newport while also playing a strong game defensively according to Dole. Greysan Beaulieu added nine points. Alyssa Burr was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, including two clutch free throws in the final 30 seconds to help the Tigers seal the deal.
Newport (3-9 overall, 3-7 NHIAA) plays next at Raymond on Feb. 7.