On Sunday February 10^th the Tewksbury Redmen Squirt ‘A’ Hockey battled through 26+ inches of snow and a tough Andover team to skate away with a 6-4 win at the Harrison Rink on the campus of Phillips Andover.

The Redmen came out energized and took advantage of a sluggish Andover team, scoring just 2 minutes into the game when Jake McDonough fired a wrist shot over the Andover goalie’s catching glove, assist to Maci Chapman.  The Redmen kept attacking and nearly increased their lead with 8 minutes to play in the 1^st period when defenseman Trevor Lindsey made a great play at center ice breaking up a 2-on-1 opportunity.  Trevor sent a cross-ice pass to Timmy Sweeney who skated in and fired a hard wrist shot that the goalie got a piece of keeping it out of the net.  Andover was finally able to get their legs moving but they were unable to get shots to the Redmen net because of outstanding work from defensemen Jared LeGrand and Austin Tingtella.  Andover nearly tied the game as the 1^st period was winding down but Redmen goalie Caulin Martel made back-to-back highlight reel saves to keep the 1-0 lead for the Redmen.

The 2^nd period started with Andover getting pressure on the Redmen but Chance Fitzgerald and Cam Whealan both made outstanding individual defensive plays to keep Andover off the scoreboard.  With just over 6 minutes to play in the 2^nd period Justin Rooney decided it was time to increase the lead for the Redmen.  First Rooney worked hard on the backcheck, stealing the puck from an Andover forward at his own blue line. Rooney deked around an Andover forward and blew past the Andover defensive pair, and lifting a hard wrist shot into the top corner for the 2-0 lead.  Rooney struck again just 13 seconds later as he controlled a loose puck at the Andover blue line, skated down the right boards, cut in, and beat the goalie with a pretty backhander for the 3-0 Redmen lead.  The Redmen kept attacking and nearly increased their lead when Shayne MacDonald, TJ Moore, and Aidan Silvia all had shots on net that were turned away.  Andover had some chances late in the period to get on the scoreboard but once again great defensive efforts from Jade Owirka kept the puck away from the Redmen net. 

Andover came out flying in the 3^rd period determined to make this a game. They were able to cut the Redmen lead to 3-1 just 31 seconds into the period. Andover nearly made the score 3-2 but Redmen goalie Caulin Martel made an outstanding save on a breakaway.  With 10:20 left in the game the Redmen regained their 3 goal lead as Evan Zonderman used his strength to win a puck battle in front of the net, firing a hard wrist shot under the sliding goalie, assist to Jake McDonough.  Andover battled right back and cut the lead to 4-2 just 37 seconds later and with 7:48 left in the game cut the Redmen lead to 4-3.  The Redmen crowd urged their team on and the Redmen responded, taking a 5-3 lead as Kalyen Taddia used her speed to get to a rebound in the slot area, firing a hard wrist shot over the goalie’s blocker, assists to Julia Stanizzi and Jake McDonough.  The Andover kids never quit and with 2:22 left in the game Andover scored again to cut the Redmen lead to 5-4.  Determined to not let this game slip away, the Redmen won the ensuing faceoff and nearly scored as Timmy Sweeney worked his way through 2 Andover defenders and fired a wrist shot that just missed the far post.  Andover was able to pull their goalie for the extra attacker with just over 1 minute to play in the game but great defensive play from Chance Fitzgerald and Trevor Lindsey kept the puck away from the Redmen net.  Jake McDonough was able to score an empty netter with 36 seconds left in the game to secure the 6-4 Redmen win.