CANTON, Mass. — Down 1-0 in the second period, Duxbury scored twice in 30 seconds to take the lead over Archbishop Williams, and they never looked back.
The Dragons shut down the Bishops in the third period en route to a 2-1 win, ending Archies' five-game winning streak.
Junior forward Addy Harrington and junior defender Alannah Gallagher each scored for Duxbury (7-3-1), while senior goalie Brynn Scott earned the win in net.
Freshman forward Izzy O'Brien (Holbrook, Mass.) scored the Bishops, who dropped to 6-4-0 on the season.
O'Brien scored two minutes into the first period on a 2-on-1 with sophomore Emily Flemming (Hull, Mass.), swiping in the rebound after Flemming's shot missed wide.
Archies ramped up the pressure in the second period but couldn't add insurance before Harrington scored in front on a power play midway through the frame, jamming in a loose puck in the crease after Meg Carney's shot was blocked.
Moments later, Gallagher struck on a wrist shot from the point that found a way through multiple bodies in the lane.
Let's dive into nine standouts and two takeaways from the top-10 MIAA girls hockey clash.
Alannah Gallagher
Duxbury, Class of 2026, D, left shot
Gallagher didn't waste any time putting a shot on net on her goal, and it paid off as it had eyes and found a way in. It was a simple, smart wrist shot toward the front that could have set up a redirect or a rebound look had it not gone in cleanly. Later on the penalty kill in the second, Gallagher made an excellent play against Murphy in transition. She had a good gap and made a good poke check along the boards before leaving it for her support to come pick it up and get a clear. She made it look easy.
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Maeve Gallagher
Duxbury, Class of 2025, F, right shot
Like the rest of Duxbury, Gallagher got better as the game continued. She was strong in all three zones, always pushed to get into middle ice and made winning plays. She worked well in the cycle with Carney and sophomore Shae Martin. In the third, Gallagher set up Carney for a chance off the cycle when she slipped a sweet feed from the corner right to her tape, but McLeish robbed Carney's shot. Gallagher got a great look of her own in a play that was identical to her highlight-reel goal in last year's state championship. She drove down the right wing and easily deked a defender before trying to pick the short-side corner, but McLeish stood tall again. Moments later, Gallagher drove to the slot, fighting through heavy pressure for a chance in tight before drawing a hook with under two minutes to go. It effectively iced it for Duxbury.
Gallagher was also strong moving the puck in the offensive zone on the power play and rotating off the puck as well. After passing it off out high, she drove middle and took the high forward with her, opening all sorts of time and space out high before Harrington's equalizer.
Addy Harrington
Duxbury, Class of 2026, F, right shot
Harrington effectively used her size for leverage and body position in the offensive zone, especially around the net, and it paid off as she came through in a key spot for the Dragons. She parked herself in front of the net, and the defender couldn't knock her off her spot before she popped out to bury the loose puck to tie it up. It was a major momentum swing in the game after Archies had several strong looks to extend their lead early in the second. Harrington nearly iced it on the empty net late in regulation, knocking down a stretch pass at the offensive blue line.
Kate McLeish
Archbishop Williams, Class of 2025, G, catches left
Hometown: Dedham, Mass.
McLeish didn't have much of a chance in a bang-bang play on Harrington's goal, nor am I sure she ever saw Alannah Gallagher's shot. She wasn't overly busy in the first 40 minutes, but she made several high-quality saves in the third period to keep Archies within striking distance. She made a massive save on Carney in the slot, stretching with the left pad to stone what looked like a sure goal off a feed from Maeve Gallagher. A couple of shifts later she robbed Gallagher with the glove after she dangled around the defense and tried to go upstairs. McLeish made another big stop on Carney in the first, reading her the whole way and giving her nothing on the backhand after Carney split the defense.
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Zoey Madigan
Duxbury, Class of 2025, F, right shot
Madigan was a good play-driver on the top line once again, but it was her play away from the offensive zone that stood out. In the second, she made a terrific deke to shake Caroline Batchelder (Braintree, Mass.) behind the net and open a passing lane on the breakout. It led to a clean exit for Duxbury and alleviated the pressure they were under. Before that, she made a great play helping out down low, closing down on Flemming to the side of the net and breaking up her deke. In the third, Madigan's strong backcheck prevented a break for Murphy, stripping the puck before drawing a trip.
Izzy O'Brien
Archbishop Williams, Class of 2028, F, right shot
Hometown: Holbrook, Mass.
O'Brien had a great effort on her goal, executing a give-and-go on the 2-on-1 with Flemming. After passing it off out high, O'Brien drove hard to the net, and she was in a perfect spot for the puck to find her. Her line with Flemming and freshman Julie Murphy (Canton, Mass.) drove offense for the Bishops. O'Brien had a couple of other strong looks in the second period, stealing from Norton behind the net and curling out for a good centering pass to the middle. Later, she got a good shooting opportunity in the high slot after a windmill deke off the rush but missed wide.
Sami Norton
Duxbury, Class of 2025, D, left shot
Like Maeve Gallagher, Norton got better as things went on. She made an excellent defensive play in the second as Archies pushed for a quick equalizer. In a battle with Ainsley Mills (Easton, Mass.) in front, Nolan got her stick free and quickly broke up a centering pass, preventing a potential goal. Norton also has a strong ability as a puck-mover, either with a good first pass or using her feet. That was on display on some power plays in the third. She did a good job of using her feet to move the puck through neutral ice and gain the offensive zone with possession.
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Shea Nolan
Archbishop Williams, Class of 2025, F, right shot
Hometown: Quincy, Mass.
Nolan's line with Batchelder was dominant in the second period, and it was surprising they didn't get on the board. She and Batchelder fed off each other so well on the forecheck and in the cycle. One of their chances came when Nolan found soft space around the net, taking a tap pass from Batchelder and cutting to the middle with a backhand. Scott didn't handle it cleanly, but Duxbury managed to tie up the rebound. In the third, Batchelder found Nolan again in a high-to-low play off of good forechecking pressure, but the chance wouldn't go. Nolan also had a terrific backcheck in the third, tracking pack to pick-pocket and outmuscle Ceci Tremante to prevent a shot in the slot off the rush.
Aliya Greenwood
Archbishop Williams, Class of 2026, D, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: Dedham, Mass.
Greenwood was solid defending in transition, thanks to her skating ability. Her impressive edgework and speed skating backward allowed her to maintain strong gaps and keep up with anybody.
Leftover thoughts...
1. Duxbury played a perfect third period:Â It was easy to tell that the Dragons' core has been in these situations before, protecting late leads in high-pressure games. They simplified their game in the third and prevented Archies from generating any late momentum. Instead of trying to do too much or be heroes, Duxbury just got the puck deep at every opportunity, killing clock and hounding the Bishops on the forecheck to prevent clean exits. In their own end, they got pucks out quickly and knew when to settle for sending it off the glass and out. It was textbook down the stretch.
2. Archbishop Williams' forecheck is dominant when it's clicking:Â The Bishops had several Grade-A opportunities to extend their lead in the second period, and much of that was thanks to strong forechecking work to the Murphy and Nolan lines. They used their speed and size to overwhelm Duxbury and take away clean passing lanes. Both units worked well off each other with good positioning and puck movement when they won it back, hemming Duxbury in. It felt like a matter of time until they got on the board, but an ill-timed penalty and quick-strike offense for the Dragons undid it all. Nevertheless, when Archies is executing like that, it'll be hard for teams to stop them down the stretch.
