In Andover’s playoff game at Lawrence Academy on Wednesday, Josh Geary ’09 fooled the goalie on a crossover to score Andover’s second goal and secure the shutout win for the visiting squad. The post-season victory came after a disappointing loss to Exeter this past weekend. Although Andover was on the road at Lawrence, that didn’t prevent a small group of rowdy Andover fans from making the trek to Groton. Right from the start, this was a fast paced, back-and-forth game. After one period, the game remained knotted at 0. The second period began just like the first, with both teams moving the puck swiftly up the ice. Lawrence had some chances, but all were turned aside by Glenn Stowell ’09, who earned his first career post-season shutout. “We definitely came out pumped up against Lawrence. We limited our penalties tonight, and Glenn came up clutch with the shutout,” said Captain Brooks Dyroff ’09. Andover broke the scoreless tie with five minutes left in the second period. Garnet Hathaway ’10 dropped the puck back to Chris Kreider ’10, who sent a wrist shot on net. The opposing goalie made the save, but with puck lying in the crease, Hathaway dove and pushed the puck into the net to give Andover a 1-0 lead. “We came out excited to play, and were having fun. In every zone on the ice, we played our type of hockey,” said Hathaway. Andover got back to business in the third period by scoring a goal five minutes into the period. Kreider gave a smooth pass to Geary who scored the goal to give Andover a 2-0 lead. The Andover defense then killed off two penalties with five minutes left to secure the win. Andover played to its potential on Wednesday night, as the team quickly shook off Saturday’s loss. “We played good, disciplined hockey in every phase of our game,” said Coach Boylan. The win sends Andover to the East Semifinal Game of the New England Prep League playoffs against Salisbury on Saturday at 3:30. Andover’s success when it mattered most—against Lawrence—overshadows its disappointing regular-season loss to Exeter on Saturday. Considering Andover beat Exeter 4-1. at home in January, the players, coaches, and fans all expected a great game from the team. This was not the case, however, as Andover turned in a sloppy effort against its rival. In front of a supportive crowd of red and blue, Exeter stole the show early and quickly gained the lead and momentum in the game. Exeter scored a power play goal only two minutes into the contest when the puck trickled into the net after bouncing around in the crease. Andover had their chances later in the period, including a 5-on-3 advantage, but Exeter was able to keep the visiting team of the board. Exeter went into the locker room on a high note, as the team scored with only two minutes remaining off a rebound to take a 2-0 lead. This goal sent the Andover fans into a lull, while the Exeter fans continued to get louder. Andover came out in the second looking to get back into the game with an early goal or two, but Exeter continued to take the upper hand. A goal only 45 seconds into the period quickly deflated any hopes of an Andover comeback. The lone Andover goal came from Kreider in the third period, but it was meaningless by that point as Andover fell, 6-1. The rivalry game was clearly a disappointment for Andover, but the team still made the New England Prep League Tournament seeded third, setting up its eventual win over Lawrence. This weekend, Andover travels to Salisbury in what is sure to be a challenging semi-final game. If Andover plays to its potential, it could advance to Sunday’s championship game.
