Londonderry boys hockey gets special win over Bishop Brady

HOOKSETT - The Londonderry High School boys hockey team did not score an even-strength goal in its 4-1 triumph over Bishop Brady Saturday at Tri-Town Ice Arena.

Londonderry (3-4-1), which snapped a four-game losing streak with the win, scored three power-play goals and another during a delayed penalty call on the Green Giants (2-4-1).

Londonderry coach Peter Bedford credited his team’s puck movement and shot selection while on the power play.

“We’ve been stressing that you can move a puck faster than you can skate a puck,” Bedford said. “And then when we’re getting our shot, which we have been, we are getting traffic in front of the net and then we hunt pucks down again.”

The Lancers recorded the game’s first three goals in the second period. Anthony Federico and Zac Rheault both logged power-play goals while Patrick Cohen scored during a delayed penalty on Bishop Brady to build Londonderry’s three-goal cushion.

Federico went top shelf on Green Giants netminder Matt Strickland (27 saves) from the right circle following a cross-ice feed from Kyle Hamilton (three assists) 4:07 into the second frame to open the game’s scoring.

Rheault doubled the Lancers’ advantage at the 5:52 mark, when he scored on a slap shot from the high slot. Cohen found the back of the net with 6:29 left in the middle stanza on a slap shot from the left point while Londonderry had an extra skater on during a delayed penalty call on the Green Giants.

The Lancers capped the game’s scoring with Rheault’s second goal, which came during a five-on-three power-play advantage with 4:26 remaining.

“I think the boys really moved the puck well and we just took a lot of shots and we worked hard,” Rheault said of Londonderry’s power-play success.

Bishop Brady took three penalties in the second period and went 4-for-7 on the penalty kill.

“We’re a type of team that we have to stay out of the penalty box, especially when you’re playing teams that are supposedly better than you,” Green Giants coach Ed Seney said. “It’s frustrating when the calls don’t go your way but you can’t let it turn into you taking penalties and then it just snowballs.”

Senior defenseman Kevin Anderson put Bishop Brady on the board with his power-play goal from the right circle 1:16 into the third period, cutting Londonderry’s lead to 3-1. Anderson’s unassisted tally came during a five-minute major penalty on Federico, who also received a game misconduct for a cross-check to the head of Brady’s Alexander Pfeifer.

Londonderry freshman goaltender Jake Holdsworth made 19 saves in his first career start.

“I wanted to see what he had,” Bedford said of Holdsworth. “I think he made good decisions, he covered up pucks when they needed to be. His rebound control, keeping it away from the front of the net was really strong. ... Just a good, solid start for him from start to finish.”

The Lancers outshot Bishop Brady, 13-3, in the first period and 31-20 overall.

“It makes us feel a little bit better about our game because we’ve been playing reasonable good hockey,” Bedford said of the win. “We just haven’t had results.”