The Londonderry High School Hockey team moved one step closer to the schools first Division I title with what seemed to be an effortless victory over the Pinkerton Academy Astros on Saturday night.
After getting a bye in the first round of the championship playoffs, the Lancers came out extremely strong in their first game of the tournament, blanking the Astros 7-0 in the quarterfinals, at the JFK Arena in Manchester.
LHS finished the regular season at 15-3, setting the team up as the second seed in the playoffs, behind Windham with their 15-2-1 record.
Pinkerton came into Saturday night’s game, narrowly getting by Manchester Central-West-Memorial 3-2, in the first round.
The Lancers defeated Pinkerton twice in the regular season, 8-2 and 5-4 (OT), and were pretty confident they’d get by them in the championship match-up.
Right out of the gate, LHS put PA on the back of their skates scoring three unanswered goals in the first period.
Senior forwards, Jayden Hamilton and Owen Carey, put their team on the board 3-0 in the first, Carey’s second goal came during a power play, halfway through the period, assisted by junior Brett McKinnon.
In the second period, leading by three unanswered goals, LHS doubled their lead to 6-0.
Hamilton got goals at 12:10 and 8:40 to start the scoring in the period.
Both came right in front of the net, first with a backhander, assisted by senior Matt Boyon, the second was tucked in around the PA tender, assisted by Gavin Karoul.
Junior forward, Brett McKinnon, had the sixth goal for the Lancers with just over two-minutes left in the period. The goal was assisted by senior, Mike Maloney.
The period ended with Pinkerton getting a man-advantage on a high-sticking call, and ended at 6-0.
In the third, hockey’s mercy rule kicked in, the six-goal advantage kept the clock running throughout the period.
The final goal of the game came by way of an incepted pass right in front of the PA goal, where Carey easily got is third goal of the game and gave his team a 7-0 lead at 14:25.
Londonderry is scheduled to play the number 11 seeded Exeter Blue Hawks in the Semi-Finals on Wednesday night at the JFK Arena at 7:30 p.m.
If they are victorious there, the Lancers will try to win their first-ever title at SNHU Arena on Saturday, March 9. The time has not yet been determined.