WEST LEBANON — The Lebanon-Kearsarge-Mascoma girls hockey team, also known as the Raiders, has gotten off to a hot start this season and kept on rolling Wednesday evening at James W. Campion III Rink, breaking a tie game late against the defending state champion Hanover High Bears to claim a 3-2 win.
With the score tied at 2-2, in a game that seemed destined for overtime Raiders’ freshman Kate Clary made a tremendous move, maneuvering between multiple Bears and buried a shot to score what proved to be the game-winner with about two minutes remaining.
“My center, Montana Ballard, she held up perfectly — the center and the wing came in and tried to take the puck, and it bounced out perfectly,” Clary said about her game-winner. “I came to the outside, and I was like, ‘This is my chance.’ I haven’t really gotten to be able to get up super far into forward play, and once I got in front, I was open, I was like, ‘I’ve got to take the shot.’”
Clary, who also had an assist earlier in the game, said she was grateful to experience a win like this with her team and described scoring the game-winner against the defending state champions, whom the Raiders had not defeated since the 2012-13 season, according to Head Coach Dan McGee, as “pretty awesome.”
In addition to Clary, freshman Natalie Dexter and senior Bella Orlen also found the back of the net for the Raiders.
Junior Julia McGee had two assists, while seniors Sara Forman, whose sister Emma was a member of the Raiders squad that last defeated Hanover, and Abby Auch each added an assist. The Raiders’ senior goaltender, Andy Lindquist, had 26 saves on the night.
“We knew it was going to be an incredible game one way or another, and we knew that it was probably going to be a close game,” Raiders’ bench boss McGee said. “It was nice to have a two-goal lead, but there wasn’t anybody in our locker room that was like, ‘This game is over.’”
McGee said that he was proud of the way his team fought through a third period Hanover comeback attempt, adding, “to get the last one with a couple of minutes left was really nice.”
The first period of Wednesday’s contest was a referee’s paradise as five penalties were called during the frame, two on the Raiders, and the others on the Bears. Despite that, neither team took advantage of the infractions.
For a portion of the opening period, the Bears began to mount pressure on Lebanon-Kearsarge-Mascoma, but ultimately, it was the Raiders who drew first blood with 5:42 remaining on Dexter’s goal, which McGee assisted.
The Raiders carried the 1-0 lead into the second period and eventually built on it. With 7:07 remaining in the second frame, a juicy rebound in front off of Bears’ junior goalie Ally Mackenzie found the stick of Orlen, who netted the puck.
Trailing 2-0 to begin the third period, the defending champs started to chip away at Lebanon-Kearsarge-Mascoma’s lead, thanks in large part to sophomore Pauline Rudd.
Just over two minutes into the third period, Rudd, who was assisted by freshman Caroline Warrington, found the back of the net to make the game 2-1.
One goal was not enough for Rudd, as under five minutes later, she scored again, this time with help from junior Casey Wilkinson, to tie the game with 8:38 left, setting the stage for some thrilling hockey down the stretch.
Both squads fought for advantage before the end of regulation, with some nice back-and-forth action and physical play, which certainly got the hearts of the spectators lining the glass or in the bleachers at Campion pounding.
Ultimately, though, the Bears’ late push to tie the game merely set up Clary’s heroics.
With the win, the Raiders improved to 4-1 on the season, and McGee said he was pleased with his squad’s start.
He added that their latest games against Beekmantown Central (N.Y.), which they lost 3-2 last week, and Hanover have been their most significant challenges so far.
“We’re excited to play that competition. They push us to get better, hopefully we can push them to get better now,” he said.
The Raiders will aim to keep the momentum going when they go on the road to face Kingswood-Prospect Mtn-Plymouth on Saturday at 5 p.m.
The Bears, who fell to 2-3 after the loss, will try to put a stop to their three-game losing streak on Saturday when they head on the road to match up with South Glens Falls Central (N.Y.) at 1 p.m.