With the puck in Exeter’s defensive zone, Collin Nugent ’16 whipped a pass across the ice to find Kenny Griffin ’17, who fired a shot that slipped past multiple defenders and the goalie for his first goal of the season.
“I basically just made myself available for a sweetheart pass from Nugent,” said Griffin after the game. “It was a great feeling to not only get my first goal but to also help swing the momentum of the game.”
Cutting down a 2-0 deficit early in the second period, Griffin’s goal sparked an Andover comeback that led to a 3-3 score at the end of the second period. Jack Cusack ’18 followed Griffin’s effort with a tipped shot exactly two minutes later, and Jake Tomsik ’17 contributed a goal later in the period.
Despite the mini-comeback in the second period, Andover remained scoreless in the final period of regulation and eventually fell to Exeter 4-3 in overtime.
Andover, which boasted a 5-5-2 record before the game, was the underdog against an undefeated Exeter team. An exceptional team performance, however, kept the team in contention until the final minutes of overtime.
“We did a great job of coming out with intensity,” Griffin added. “We were all there to play a solid 54 minutes.”
Strong performances from young members of the team showed promise for seasons to come. Griffin and Cusack are both new players, while Tomsik is currently playing in his second season for Andover.
Starting Right Wing Tyler Levin ’16 said, “Our young guys stepped up and made a difference in a game where we really needed it. Everyone played hard, and, although there were some lapses, I thought our [defensive] core played especially well.”
The offensive partnership between Levine and Nugent has been productive for Andover this season. The pair has produced 15 goals and 17 assists thus far.
“I would have to say around eight of my assists were to Nugent. Nugent has [ten] goals and six assists, and I would have to say five or so of his assists were to me,” continued Levine.
Boys Varsity Hockey lost its next game 4-2 against St. Sebastian’s on Wednesday, bringing its record to 5-7-2. Defenseman and Assistant Captain Kyle Moss ’15 and Levine tallied goals for the team.
Andover has recently struggled with its power play and in its last three games, the team has been unable to find the net on eight power play opportunities.
Andover looks to return to its winning ways against Thayer on Saturday.
