BOURN — The Hanover High School boys hockey team posted a convincing shutout loss to Scituate on Feb. 7 at Hobomock Arena. The Hawks' record since then was a modest 9-8, and while there was plenty of young talent on the roster, there was also a strong argument that it would be at least a season before Hanover was a true playoff threat. Ta. .
Standing in the parking lot after the game, Hawks manager John Abban acknowledged that his team's offense had been “sporadic.” But he also expressed optimism, thinking the Hawks are at least “moving in the right direction.”
He was right.
Hanover will then head to TD Garden for next Sunday's Division 4 state championship game.
The Hawks, who had improved in the final stages of the regular season, did not have an easy time in Sunday's semifinal match against No. 10 Stoneham (11-12-1) at Joe Gallo Ice Arena. He scored 3 points. The lead built up to zero after a dominant first period. But sophomore Cam Melone, who started attacking early, scored less than a minute into the second period of overtime, giving Hanover a 4-3 victory.
more:Marshfield girls hockey advances to Final Four: Top finish on South Shore in MIAA tournament
“It was a little hairy down there,” Abban said. “We started fast, but [Stoneham is] Great club. I knew it was going to be a battle. They weren't going to give up. Hats off to them. They competed until the last second.
“Our team has come together over the last probably three weeks. We've really pulled together. We're going to go next Sunday and give it a shot. I'm proud of the kids. They I didn't give up.'' ”
The sixth-seeded Hawks (15-9) will play fifth-seeded Dover-Sherborn (20-4) in Division 5. 4 title matches. Hanover will be seeking its third state title in five years and fifth since 2016. 3.
Oddly enough, like clockwork, Hanover has reached the state final every other season since losing to Shrewsbury in 2014. The Hawks won in 2016 (a win over Algonquin), 2018 (a win over Shrewsbury) and 2020 (co-winner with Longmeadow due to the pandemic). ) and 2022 (defeating Marblehead).
“Every two years we want to make it a tradition and go back to the garden,” Abban said. “I think an even number is better.”
Melone's OT winner came after both teams were skating 3-on-3 in the second eight-minute OT, stripping a Stoneham player at the top of the right circle on Stoneham's side. He swooped down and buried his wrister over the glove of Spartans goaltender Jacob Utter.
“I thought it was an opportunity, [Stoneham] “A kid cut it down the middle,” Melone said. “I took advantage of that and poked it into the breakaway and finished the job.”
The goal came shortly after Melone missed a golden opportunity to split two Stoneham players and set up a one-on-one battle with Utter. His backhand from close range went over the crossbar.
“Yeah, the puck was at my feet,” he said. “I was groping. [it]. I knew I was going to miss it. I usually don't miss two, so I had to make up for the second one. ”
“He has a special gear,” Aban said of Melone, who has scored a team-high 12 goals this season. “He's a kid who can do two or three shifts and is still looking for more time on the ice. He's got young legs.”
Hanover has a lot of young players. Melone entered the game as the team leader in goals and points and put the Hawks up 1-0 with a wraparound just 1:52 into the first period. Sophomore Henry Phillips made a rush to make it 2-0 at the 4:40 mark, and freshman Joe Galvin also scored on a rush from the left side at 10:10, sending a shot past Utter's glove. decided.
Phillips' 10 goals were second on the team, and Galvin contributed with six goals. In fact, only one of Hanover's top seven scorers is a senior (Bill Razik). Perhaps it wasn't all that surprising that with such young talent it took Hannover until late in the regular season to hit their stride.
“There are always growing pains. [with young players] “As a coach,” Abban said. “We just knew that if we gave them the right guidance, it would work out well for them.”
It looked like Hannover's youth team would reach the final, but Stoneham fought back. Jack Sullivan led the Spartans in the second period, and Mike Tarrant had two RBIs in the third to even things up.
On the Hannover bench, the kids just shrugged their shoulders.
“I never doubted that we were going to finish that game,” Melone said. “Our goalie, Thomas Perkins, was on his feet. He was unbelievable. We knew we would get the job done.”
Speaking of Perkins, he called the sight of Melone potting the winner “surreal,” adding, “I've been watching matches like this since I was a kid. I've always seen them.” [former Hanover teams] go to the garden I almost went back to my childhood. ”
There was a time when it seemed like Hanover would break his biseasonal pattern and skip the garden trip this winter. But the Hawks figured it out.
“We really came together as a group,” Perkins said. “We had a good win against North Attleboro.” [the week after the Scituate loss] That set things in motion. We realized that we can do damage in the playoffs and that we're not just a first- or second-round team. When we come together, we can do dangerous things. I'm so proud of the boys. ”
