DEDHAM, Mass. — Caroline Thomas was in the right place at the right time.
With the score tied at 1-1 and time winding down in regulation, the puck found her all alone at the left post off a turnover behind Groton's net. She was right there to jam it home and give New Hampton a 2-1 lead with 2:41 left in the NEPSAC girls Small School Tournament championship.
From there, the Huskies and senior goaltender Vera Lee went to work defensively. They locked it down to claim their second straight title. New Hampton also beat Groton last year, 3-1.
The Huskies put the pressure on Groton from the start, giving them fits on the forecheck and making it difficult for the Zebras to exit their zone cleanly. But Groton senior Veronika Hadamovsky (Groton, Mass.) stood tall amid heavy pressure.
FULL BRACKET: Click or tap here for all the results from the Small School Tournament
The Zebras thought they had gained some momentum after a strong penalty kill and 4-on-4 sequence early in the second, but moments later, New Hampton broke through on another power play opportunity.
New Hampshire commit Julia Loughlin (Scituate, Mass.) got the puck at the top of the right circle and zipped a cross-ice feed to junior Reese Luber (Norwood, Mass.). She one-timed it home for the 1-0 lead. It was Luber's third goal in two games after scoring a pair in the semifinals.
But Groton gained some momentum before the end of the second off some strong chances for sophomore leading scorer Tina Scalese (West Boylston, Mass.).
Early in the third, Scalese came through for the Zebras. She buried a shot from the right dot off the rush to tie it 1-1. The Huskies got back to their heavy forechecking pressure, though, leading to Thomas' go-ahead tally.
Here are the takeaways from the matchup:
1. This rematch lived up to the hype with history between these two sides. Ultimately, it was New Hampton's depth, size and experience that lifted it over Groton. The Huskies were able to effectively roll their lines with each unit making an impact. They were hard on pucks and made things miserable for Groton exiting the zone, which led to Thomas' winner. Walker was effective with her size, using her frame to protect pucks and win battles. She was difficult to contain. It was the sign of a team that's "been there, done that."
OTHER GIRLS BRACKETS: Elite 8 Tournament | Large School Tournament
2. Lee, who earned Small School Tournament MVP, wasn't particularly busy through the first period or so of the game, but she was at her best when the Huskies needed her most. She made several big-time stops right around her crease with time winding down. She twice stuffed Scalese in tight. Lee was square to pucks all game and did a great job of anticipating plays.
3. Hadamovsky was fantastic throughout for Groton in her own right, especially in the first period during New Hampton's heavy pressure. She denied several rebound chances and opportunities in tight for New Hampton. If not for her efforts early on, it could have been a completely different game. She tracked pucks well through traffic and reacted well on second and third chances.
