Tewksbury Hands It To Haverhill, Clinches Spot in States

Tewksbury entered Saturday evening knowing that if they got the W against Haverhill they would clinch their spot in the State tournament following the regular season. And by the way they played, you could tell they wanted it.

The Redmen got on the board first only about 2 minutes in. A scramble in front of the Haverhill net, and the puck finds it way into the back of the net off the stick of Senior Alternate Captain Jack Cash. 

Haverhill was strong, though, in the 1st period. About a minute after Tewksbury's goal, Josh Goldstein, of Haverhill, rushed down the ice with some good speed and put a nice shot on net. But Kyle Paquette came up with another great save to keep the game 1-0. 

With about 5 minutes left in the period, Colin Quinn was charged with a felony after he blatantly stole the puck off a Haverhill defender's stick and led a 2 on 1 with Jack Cash storming along side him. Neither Quinn nor Cash was able to finish on the play, but they would surely get their revenge later.

The first period was an incredibly back and forth game. It was just rush after rush after rush after rush for the entire 15 minutes, it seemed.

Tewksbury started off even hotter in the 2nd period. Ryan Petti and Colin Quinn, respectively, would put home goals both within the opening 20 seconds. Now up 3-0, there was no turning back for the Redmen. 

Tewksbury even showed it on the PK. Down 5 on 3 after a couple penalties, Tewksbury did not let up and killed off the potentially game changing Powerplay for Haverhill.

Tewksbury almost got their 4th goal on the board late in the 2nd. Sophomore forward Dom Raneri had a great move around a defender and was inches away from finishing the goal if it wasn't for the good save by Haverhill goalie Mike Gleason.

Despite the opening 20 seconds, this period was almost a mirror image of the first.

The first 10 or so minutes of the 3rd was just part three of the back and forth theme going on all game. 

But with 4:30 left in the period, Tewksbury found themselves on a 5 on 3 Powerplay. And who else but Captain Ross "Scotty" Budryk to put home a slapshot from the bottom of the faceoff circle to give Tewksbury the 4-0 lead.

Before the final buzzer, in the final minute, Sophomore Steve Hamel put home Tewksbury's 5th goal of the game and sealed the deal for the boys as they earned a State Tournament spot.

Congrats to the Redmen.

They next play Wednesday evening down in Marlborough at the New England Sports Center against Lincoln Sudbury at 4 pm. A Huge game for the Redmen.