BOURNE — Hanover’s boys hockey group has emerged as one of many Commonwealth’s most profitable applications during the last decade. Despite a shaky begin this season, the Hawks discover themselves as soon as once more on the verge of greatness after Sunday.
Sophomore Cameron Melone registered a pair of targets, and sniped the game-ending aim in double additional time, as sixth-seeded Hanover clinched its newest journey to the Div. 4 championship with an epic 4-3 victory over Stoneham at Gallo Arena.
“We started off fast, but (Stoneham is) a great club,” stated Hanover coach Johnny Abban. “A great club. We knew it was going to be a battle. We knew that they weren’t going to give up. Hats off to them. They competed until the last second there.”
It solely took 2:00 for Hanover (15-9-0) to strike, as Melone potted his first aim of the competition to make it 1-0. Just 2:42 later, Henry Phillips netted a aim himself, earlier than Joseph Galvin picked the top-corner of the cage with 4:50 left within the opening interval. In an prompt, Hanover had a commanding 3-0 lead.
Yet, the Spartans (11-12-1) had been lastly in a position to break via with 6:33 to go within the second interval, as a shot by Jack Sullivan whistled via site visitors to chop it to 3-1.
Then, lightning struck twice for the Spartans to begin the third, as sophomore Mike Taranto buried consecutive targets in fast succession. In a surprising twist, Stoneham had rallied all the way in which again to even issues at 3-all with 10:54 left in regulation.
Some groups would possibly wilt underneath the stress. The Hawks selected to buckle down in their very own finish, as the sport prolonged right into a double additional time session.
With the 2 squads skating three-on-three, Melone picked a skater’s pocket to arrange a breakaway. At that time, the one factor standing between the sophomore and his group from a visit to the Garden was the opposing goaltender. He slipped a shot residence for the clincher, and the Hawks stormed the ice.
“I saw the opportunity when the kid cut to the middle,” Melone stated. “I just took advantage of that. Poked at it, went on the breakaway, and finished the job.”
It was Abban’s two hundredth profession teaching victory with Hanover.
The Hawks will now look to maintain their distinctive championship run going subsequent week after they play Dover-Sherborn for the Div. 4 crown on St. Patrick’s Day.
“Our team, we’ve come together in probably the last three weeks,” Abban stated. “Really put it together. We’ll go into next Sunday, and give it a shot. Proud of the kids. They didn’t give up. Like I said, it could have been hairy there when they tied it up, went to overtime. This is what it’s all about this time of year – high school sports.”
Still drenched from a Gatorade bathtub after the sport, the longtime mentor wanted a second to catch his breath because the locker room echoed in celebration behind him.
“Every two years we like to make it a tradition to go back to the Garden,” joked Abban. “Starting in 2014, we went (then), 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. I guess the even numbers work for us.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com