A pleasing comeback victory over the Nashua South-Pelham Kings followed by a humbling loss to the blistering-hot Concord High Crimson Tide last week left the Londonderry High Lancers contemplating their 8-4 Division I record as they glided into this week’s play.
The Lancers claimed their third win in four games with a 5-2 besting of the Nashua South-Pelham contingent at the Conway Arena in Nashua last Wednesday, Feb. 1. That success left Londonderry grasping a strong 8-3 divisional record.
South-Pelham slipped to 2-9 overall with its defeat, which was its fifth loss in its last six games.
Coach Peter Bedford’s LHS crew rebounded from two deficits to collect the victory, busting a 2-2 tie with a tally late in the second period and then two more unanswered markers in the third stanza.
The host Kings got the scoring started 3:23 into the first period, and that goal held up until 3:35 into the second stanza when Patrick Murphy was set up by teammates Danny Bears and Dom Federico on the equalizer.
The Nashuans regained the upper hand at 2-1 a mere 29 seconds later, but the Lancers knotted the score at 2-2 at the 8:08 mark of the period when Federico was set up by Merrill Neiman and Bears.
The eventual winning goal came off of the stick of Billy Croteau – assisted by Patrick McKinnon – with 3:35 left in the middle period.
Londonderry added two insurance markers in the third stanza, with the first being potted by Mike McCormick (from Jared Tuccolo and Sean Cotter) just 1:58 in and the second coming from Bryan Murphy on an assist from Troy Muldoon six minutes later.
Muldoon was the Lancer who scored the goal which enabled the locals to tie the white-hot Concord Crimson Tide at 1-1 late in the first period of their contest at the Tri-Town Arena in Hooksett on Saturday the 4th. But Concord – which came into the game having won 10 consecutive divisional matches – ran away with the contest by scoring four unanswered goals in the second stanza and then two more in the third on the way to a decisive 7-1 victory.
LHS goalie Cam Donovan made 30 stops for the hosts, who stepped into this week with slated contests at Exeter on Wednesday the 8th, after Londonderry Times press time, followed by a home meeting with Nashua North-Souhegan on Saturday the 11th.
Caption: Londonderry High veteran defenseman Merrill Neiman sprints past a Concord High player during the Lancers’ lopsided home loss to that tough opponent last weekend. Photo by Chris Pantazis