White River Junction
Returning to her old school as a member of the Wasps, Peck scored two goals and registered an assist in Woodstock’s 4-0 victory.
“She’s from Hartford, so I decided to give her the start,” Coates said of the freshman center. “It looks like it paid off.”
The Wasps improved their record to 12-3-1 while outshooting the Hurricanes, whom they tied 3-3 in early January, by a 22-6 margin.
Hartford (4-8-3) fought hard through the first period, mustering a scoreless tie going to the intermission behind nine saves from sophomore goalie Maggie Gilman.
Anna Hepler got Woodstock, which entered the contest as the second-ranked team in Vermont Division II behind Rice, on the board with 13:34 remaining in the second period.
Gilman saved a blast by Hannah Coates that deflected halfway out toward the inner right circle, where Hepler was waiting for the one-timer. Sadie Kuhn received credit for the secondary assist.
The Wasps added another goal at the 2:19 mark of the second period when Peck scored from between the circles. The one-timer, assisted by Kuhn and Hepler, occurred during the first of two Woodstock power plays.
Kuhn, a junior, increased her season scoring total 19 goals and eight assists with her two helpers on Wednesday. The dominant defender currently ranks third in points among Upper Valley girls.
“(Kuhn) shows a lot of leadership on the team,” Ian Coates said. “She gets a lot of players involved in the play.”
One of Kuhn’s most shining moments this season was on Feb. 1, when she scored a hat trick in a minute-and-a-half span, sparking a 3-2 comeback win against U-32.
“I’m definitely defense-first most of the time,” Kuhn said. “I like to try to play really solid defense when we team needs it, and sometimes, when we need to get a few points and goals and things, I try to skate it up.”
Kuhn, who gracefully explodes into open space on the ice, also sees herself as a motivator of teammates.
“This year, I’m an assistant captain, so part of it is getting everyone excited in the locker room,” she said. “And I always want to work hard, so that people can see that.”
Hannah Coates scored Woodstock’s third goal — assisted by Hepler and Peck — with 12:29 remaining in the third period. Peck accounted for the nightcap at 6:18 with assists from Khara Brettell and Hepler.
Peck joined the team late and missed the Wasps’ first few games, but enjoyed her second start in Wednesday’s rivalry game.
“I started her earlier in a home game, and she came up big,” Ian Coates said.
Woodstock, which extended its winning streak to four games, will travel to Stowe on Tuesday. The Wasps will try to absorb the absence of three juniors, who will be gone on school-related trips outside the country.
“It was a really good team game,” Coates said after all the players on his active roster saw ice time. “That’s the most I can ask for.”
Hartford, which is led offensively by Caitlin Gaudet (six goals, five assists), plays Saturday at Missisquoi Valley. The Canes tied the Thunderbirds, 1-1, and lost to them, 4-0, in previous games this season. Hartford will look to replicate the perseverance it showed in a recent rematch with Stowe, defeating the Raiders, 3-2, on Feb. 1 after losing to them 8-0 in mid December.
Notes: Spectators got a chuckle during the third period’s first minute when the puck came to an abrupt stop — seemingly on its own accord — some three feet in front of the red line beside Woodstock’s goal. Unaware that the puck had been hung up on a patch of roughed-up ice, skaters from both teams assumed an icing call and headed toward the Hartford goal. A grinning referee beckoned them back to the Woodstock end for a faceoff that followed the dead puck. … Hartford remained in seventh place in the nine-school division despite the loss. If the season ended today, the Hurricanes would draw Woodstock in a quarterfinal contest.