Broncos adjusting nicely to new hockey division

There are five undefeated teams left in Division III high school boys hockey.

One of those teams has already surpassed its win total from a year ago - with its 3-2 win over Kearsarge on Wednesday, Alvirne (3-0) has one more victory than it did all of last season in Division II.

Lee Vanergraff had two goals for the Broncos and Lee's brother, Reed, added another goal, giving the pair eight in Alvirne's first three games. Overall, the Broncos have 15 goals - after scoring 43 in 18 games last year - and have given up five.

"We have plenty of talent on this team, so once this team gets going, we just start rolling," Alvirne coach Brian Gould said following last Saturday's win over Souhegan. "We’ve got three strong lines and our defense is pretty strong and so is our goaltending."

In Alvirne's first game of the year, it trailed 1-0 after one period against Manchester West, despite putting 21 shots on goal. In the past, the Broncos might have gotten discouraged and folded. Instead, they regrouped and pulled out a 7-3 win.

"We were thinking 'what did we get ourselves into.'" Gould said. "But we turned it on and that's what we have, the ability to turn it on."

As the season progresses, the coaches and players will become familiar with the other teams in the division. But for now, they're trying to learn about everyone as fast as they can.

"We’re trying to see as many games as we can," Gould said. "We try to make practice hard and get good competition at practice."

Alvirne will take part in the Nashua Hockey Tournament when it takes on Nashua South at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. But after the holidays are over, the Broncos will get to measure their progress against Kennett, the two-time defending division champion, at home on Jan. 5.