Prep Hockey: Deerfield has been bolstered by a stalwart goalie

Deerfield goalie Thomas Gale plans to play juniors next year before enrolling at Dartmouth in the fall of 2020. (Dave Arnold/NEHJ)

There was no question Deerfield Academy could play with some of the best teams in New England last winter.

On 12 occasions, Deerfield contests ended with just one goal separating the two sides, including games against powers Kimball Union and Salisbury, the two teams who’d meet in March for the Stuart/Corkery tournament championship.

But on 11 of those occasions, Deerfield came out on the short end. That 1-11 record in one-goal games plunged the team to a final mark of 7-18, one cemented by a loss to Westminster on the final day of the season — 3-2, of course.

“It was definitely frustrating,” said goalie Thomas Gale. “Eventually it kind of gets in your head. You try not to believe it but sometimes it’s hard not to. … One goal, one shift, one blocked shot — something goes your way and it’s a different story.”