Boys Hockey

Andover Boys Hockey Drops Two Games Despite First Period Leads

Post-Graduate (PG) Kyle Lynch ’17 took a low, hard shot to score the first goal in Andover Boys Hockey’s game on Saturday against rival Phillips Exeter Academy. Despite the 1-0 lead, Andover ultimately fell 4-3 to Exeter. On Wednesday, Andover dropped another game 5-3 to St. Sebastian’s after losing an early lead.

Jack Legler ’17 said, “Our team is struggling to play the full three periods of the game. We start out strong but aren’t able to finish. Exeter was a high intensity game, and we let it slip away.”

After closing the first period with a 1-0 lead, Andover let up three goals to Exeter in the second period. Co-Captain Jonny Edelson ’17 answered by sniping a shot from the slot past Exeter’s goalie.

Almost immediately after Andover shrank the lead to 3-2, Exeter scored on a power play to pull ahead. PG Brendan Ryan ’17 battled in front of the net to earn a goal late in the second period.

Andover entered the third period only down by one goal, but was unable to capitalize on goal scoring opportunities. The scoreless period ended in a 4-3 loss.

Within the first few minutes of Andover’s game against St. Sebastian’s, Kevin Kastholm ’17 shot top shelf and scored on a breakaway, earning Andover an early lead.

Co-Captain Jack Cusack ’18 said, “Our team did a good job getting off to a strong start, which is something we have struggled with this season. Unfortunately, we were once again unable to play a full 54 minutes.”

Lynch expanded the lead by scoring from a shot taken in the slot from a pass by Kastholm. St. Sebastian’s fought back scoring two goals to tie the game up by the end of the second period. Ryan scored on a breakaway to send Andover to the locker room with a 3-2 lead.

Andover entered the third period up 3-2 after a scoreless second period. However, St. Sebastian’s scored three unanswered goals throughout the third period, the first of the three being a power play goal.

PG Goalie Kyle Martin ’17 wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “Penalties have ruined our momentum at times in the past couple of games. If we can stay disciplined and put in a complete three period effort, we can definitely be successful in next few games and beyond.”

Andover is looking to learn from these losses and hopes to earn a win this Friday against St. Paul’s.

Cusack said, “Against St. Paul’s, we are hoping to play a full game, start to finish, by taking no shifts off and giving 100 percent effort each shift.”