Boys Hockey Sports Winter Sports

BVH: Boys Total 14 Goals Over Three Game Win Streak

Receiving a pass from forward Tyler Levine ’16, starting forward Collin Nugent ’16 deked his defenseman in front of Tabor’s net and roofed the puck from his backhand to beat the goalie glove-side high, popping a water bottle in the process.

The goal gave Andover Boys Hockey a 2-1 lead in the middle of the second period after Levine scored earlier in the game off an assist from Nugent.

Tied 2-2 in the beginning of the third period, starting forward John Festa ’15 put the team up with a tap from the top of the crease from a diving pass by Levine. Although the goal gave Andover momentum early in the final period, the team was unable to hold onto its lead and fell 5-3 to Tabor on Friday.

Levine and Nugent both tallied three points, while Assistant Captain Kyle Moss ’15 and Festa finished with two points and one point, respectively.

Andover lost its next game 4-2 against Brooks on Saturday after going into the third period leading 2-1. After a scoreless first period, Festa provided an assist for Jack Orne ’15, who netted the first goal of the game with a one-timer from the slot. Nugent doubled the team’s lead five minutes later when he rounded the back of the net and put the puck past the goalie’s blocker.

The team lost its final game of the week 5-2 against Northfield Mount Hermon on Wednesday. Once again, Andover played intensely in a close matchup until the final minutes of the game. Down 3-2 going into the third period, the team gave up two empty-net goals with less than a minute left.

Andover has shown that it can battle for an early lead from the first puck drop, having scored the first goal of the game in four of its last five matchups. The team has struggled, however, to match its strong starts with strong finishes. Except for a 7-0 shutout against Governor’s, Andover has finished all of its last five games giving up at least three unanswered goals.

“I think we come out to a good start,” said newcomer forward Ben Bolduc ’16. “We keep on building up our intensity through the second period and then in the third the intensity isn’t as high.”

All eyes are on Andover’s final game of the season against Phillips Exeter Academy. Exeter holds first place in the New England Prep Hockey standings with a 23-2-2 record.

The game will by far be the team’s hardest challenge of the season. Andover will be looking to go out with a bang and pull an upset against its longtime rivals.

Nugent said, “I feel that our mindset will be to give it all we’ve got. Exeter has the advantage at home and with a win last time. I think they already feel like they are going to win. I am positive that the boys in blue will get it done this weekend because we want it more.”