If the Bow and Keene High School hockey programs are to meet again this season, it will take place on the biggest stage Division II has to offer: on the ice for the championship at SNHU Arena.
After Bow’s second loss to the undefeated and division-leading Blackbirds this season on Saturday – a 5-3 defeat in Keene – Falcons Coach Tim Walsh is sure hoping his team gets that chance.
“It was good to play this game against them because it measures ourselves up,” Walsh said after the Falcons’ first loss in 15 games. “They’re 14-0 and in first place for a reason. They’re a very good team and I think we are close to that. We have some work to do but if we play them again – and a lot of things have to happen to play again – we know what we have to do if we face them again.”
Bow (14-2-1) and Keene (14-0) are all but locked up for the top two seeds when the tournament kicks off March 1, but gave fans an early preview of what the postseason might have in store. After skating to a 3-0 win over Bow on Dec. 21, the Blackbirds threw the first punch again on Saturday with three first-period goals.
Bow sophomore goalie Nate Carrier let a few past him early on, but picked up his game in the second and third periods to allow the Falcons to get back in it.
“I think some of the goals were ones that Nate would want to have back. We talked about it and he knows that,” Walsh said. “Going forward, he knows what he needs to work on … we’re not worried about Nate.”
It wasn’t until a power play opportunity opened up in the second period that the Falcons were able to generate their first goal of the showdown on a score from senior defenseman Colin Tracy. That provided the momentum needed for Doug Champagne and Alex Killion, who quickly potted a goal apiece in the third to bring the Falcons within one at 4-3.
Unable to find the equalizer over the last eight minutes, Bow watched on as Keene sealed the win with an empty-netter with 49 seconds to go.
“With one game left, we’re going to be in second place no matter what happens so I think this is kind of where we thought we would be this year,” Walsh said. “We thought it would be us and Keene in some sort of order with Windham right there, too. … We have to be better and clean up some things, especially heading towards the playoffs where we want to be playing our best hockey in the next two weeks.”
John Stark-Hopkinton 5,
ConVal-Conant 0
Key players: John Stark-Hopkinton – Paul Molnar (goal, assist), Tim Sawitsky (goal, assist), Noah Chapman (goal, assist), Cam Bourque (goal), Elijah Chapman (goal), Justin Bowen (assist), Tim Meserve (assist), Jameson Bourque (18 saves)
Highlights/key moments: The General Hawks scored two goals in the first 45 seconds of the second period to take a 3-0 lead and Bourque made 18 saves to earn the shutout.
Coach’s quote: “Jumping out early in the game was key for us as we prepare for the playoffs. It was a good team effort with scoring from five different players and three different lines.” – John Stark-Hopkinton’s Denis Kolehmainen
Records: John Stark-Hopkinton 10-4-1; ConVal-Conant 5-9-0
Concord 9, Man. Central 0
Key players: Concord – Lilly Vezina (goal, 2 assists), Nicole Jones (goal, assist), Allie Poulin (goal, assist), Sarah Morin (2 assists), Shannon Prospert (goal), Olivia Branch (goal), Gabby McDonald (goal), Bree Chartier (goal), Ella Doherty (goal), Erin Doherty (goal), Jill Dusseault (assist), Emily Forward (assist), Delana Erickson (assist)
Highlights/key moments: The Tide had nine different goal-scorers, 13 different point scorers and goaltender Maddy Audet needed to make just one save in a rout of Central.
Records: Concord 12-5; Central 1-13
Coaches Series Race
Key players: Concord – Jamie Wilkes (3rd), Nate Nichols (6th), Cam Brochu (17th), Alex Duncan (27th), Antonio Tomas (28th); Gilford – Josh Valtine (7th), Mark Young (13th), Sander Valpey (35th), Seth Valpey (63rd); Inter-Lakes – Ian Daly (11th), Sam Seeley (15th); Kearsarge – Michael Salo (36th), Trevor Pauling (51st); Bow – Sully Blair (29th), Robert Ciotti (62nd), Hopkinton – Simon Doneski (29th), Joseph Spalding (60th)
Highlights/key moments: Wilkes and Nichols led the Tide to a second-place team finish in the 5K skate race at Plymouth High School in the NH Coaches Series Race on Saturday. The team scores combined times from Saturday’s race and a classic race at Gunstock on Feb. 4. Wilkes’s time of 15:14 trailed winner Calvin Bates (14:40) of Dublin, but bested most of the 139 skiers. Kennett (72) topped the Tide (97), Gilford (167), Holderness (206) and Lebanon (265) in the top five. Inter-Lakes, Kearsarge and Bow took eighth, ninth and 10th place, respectively. Hopkinton finished 13th.
Coach’s quote: “This is a fairly big deal. It’s a much bigger accomplishment for the team than winning their division championships and they are super psyched.” – Concord’s Sam Evans-Brown
Coaches Series Race
Key players: Concord – Jessica Nelson (5th), Heather Deacon (23rd), Cassie Shea (32nd), Brenna McNamara (38th); Kearsarge – Maggie Lee (26th), Marliese Baer (34th), Jenna Bears (57th), Hayden Keene (63rd); Hopkinton – Emma Rothe (20th), Lily Sabol (39th); Bow – Sohani Demian (36th), Isabella Urbina (47th); Inter-Lakes – Maya Weil-Cooley (33rd), Alison Haight (46th)
Highlights/key moments: Nelson finished fifth out of 141 skiers in the 5K skate race of the NH Coaches Series Race, leading the Tide to a second-place finish. Nelson finished the skate race in 18:02, trailing the winner, Lilly Bates (17:20) of Dublin. Kennett’s two-day score of 62 bested the 15-team field. Concord (118), Kingswood (205), Fall Mountain (237) and Kearsarge (252) rounded out the top five. Hopkinton (seventh), Inter-Lakes (ninth) and Bow (11th) were the other local teams to compete.
Concord 58, Alvirne 49
Key players: Concord – Jacob Knowles (10 points, 10 rebounds), Rylan Canabano (10 points, 4 steals), Matt Giroux (18 points)
Highlights/key moments: Thanks to the solid play of Knowles and Canabano off the bench, the Crimson Tide used a 19-6 run in the second quarter to take control and fended off the Broncos down the stretch. Knowles picked up Concord’s first double-digit rebounding effort of the season and the Tide shot 51 percent from the floor, hit 6 of 12 3-pointers and went 15-for-18 at the free-throw line to grab the win.
Coach’s quote: “It was a huge win for us. We went in with the attitude that every game is a playoff game.” – Concord’s Dave Chase
Records: Concord 3-11; Alvrine 6-8
Bishop Brady 64, Oyster River 38
Key players: Bishop Brady – Eero Myllymaki (16 points, 4 assists), Matt Desmarais (11 points, 5 rebounds), Bryce Johnson (16 points, 7 rebounds), Josh Leclaire (6 points, 8 rebounds)
Highlights/key moments: The Green Giants won their second straight game and are still in the hunt for a top-eight seed in the D-II tournament.
Records: Bishop Brady 8-5; Oyster River 1-13
Hopkinton 66, H-D 17
Key players: Hopkinton – Cam Cyr (23 points, seven 3-pointers), Kevin McGrath (11 points), Tucker Windhurst (7 points), Henry Yianakopolos (6 points); H-D – Kyle Merrill (5 points)
Highlights/key moments: The Hawks led 7-6 midway through the first quarter, but closed the half on a 29-5 run to take a 37-11 halftime lead in Friday night’s game.
Coach’s quote: “Great effort tonight by everyone. Solid outside shooting.” – Hopkinton’s Stephen Signor
Records: Hopkinton 15-1; H-D 0-16
Pembroke 52, Oyster River 31
Key players: Pembroke – Olivia Langevin (12 points), Ciera Clark (12 points)
Highlights/key moments: The Spartans won their second straight while handing the Bobcats their third straight loss.
Records: Pembroke 7-9; Oyster River 4-12