METHUEN, Mass. — Lyla Chapman wasn't about to settle for a tie.
The junior defender got the puck at the point on the power play and uncorked a slap shot that changed directions before finding the back of the net with 31.5 seconds left in regulation, lifting Methuen/Tewksbury to a 2-1 win over Haverhill/Pentucket/North Andover. It was a highly anticipated rematch between the Merrimack Valley/Dual County Large rivals, who tied 2-2 on Dec. 21.
Bree Lawrence also scored for the No. 5 Red Rangers, while Lydia Barnes earned the win in net. Methuen/Tewksbury remains unbeaten, improving to 11-0-2 and picking up their third straight win.
Mia Kmiec scored for the Hillies as Julianna Taylor got the nod between the pipes. No. 7 HPNA drops to 8-2-4 on the season and 1-2-2 in their last five games.
Lawrence opened the scoring just 1:30 into the middle frame when she jammed in a loose puck to the right of the net off Chapman's initial shot.
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The Hillies turned up the pressure from there but couldn't solve Barnes in the second frame. They finally broke through in the third when Kmiec buried a wrister from the left circle with 2:40 to go.
Let's dive into eight standouts from the top-10 girls MIAA matchup.
Lyla Chapman
Methuen/Tewksbury, Class of 2027, D, left shot
Hometown: Tewksbury, Mass.
Chapman's last-minute heroics capped off a strong day on the blue line, finishing with a goal and an assist. She did a good job quarterbacking the power play and moving the puck quickly out high with Lauren Ryan (Methuen, Mass.). When Chapman got the puck, she moved laterally on the blue line to open a shooting lane before firing a slap shot that found a way in for the win. Chapman's strong strides gave her an edge as a puck-mover in transition all game. Before her goal, she had another strong look to win it, breaking into the zone with a ton of speed and getting a good shot on net from the left dot, setting up an offensive zone face-off.
Chapman had other good looks in transition in the first period. She first led the rush, danced around a defender and got a chance in the slot. Later, she forced a turnover out high, drove back into the zone through multiple defenders and got a shot. She was strong on her skates and difficult to knock off the puck. She helped set up Lawrence's goal in the second, putting a quick wrist shot into traffic after closing in on the left dot for a better shooting angle. Chapman also was strong against Paige Nottingham (Merrimac, Mass.) on one rush in the second, easily breaking up her deke with a good stick check and gap as she tried to dance around her.
Lydia Barnes
Methuen/Tewksbury, Class of 2026, G, catches left, 5-6
Hometown: Tewksbury, Mass.
Barnes was busy in the crease for the Red Rangers in the second and third period, and she made some key saves. Her positioning was strong, and it showed as she stood tall in multiple scrambles around her net. She had a big sequence to start the second, stoning Kmiec's initial shot in the slot before smothering several whacks at the rebound from Quinn Bennett (North Andover, Mass.) in front. Later in the second, she came through with a big shoulder save on Kmiec trying to pick the corner with a shorthanded bid. In the third, Barnes bailed Methuen/Tewksbury out after a turnover to Kmiec, flashing the glove to deny her again. Moments later, she denied Kendall LaRiviere's (Haverhill, Mass.) bid in tight after she dangled to the slot for a backhand.
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Paige Nottingham
HPNA, Class of 2025, D, right shot
Hometown: Merrimac, Mass.
Nottingham was an exciting presence on the back end for HPNA. Her pace and mobility stood out right away, and it helped her make an impact in all three zones. The speedy blue-liner consistently pushed the pace, leading the rush and using her skating to her advantage. It paid off in the second when she drew a penalty after blowing by a defender. In the first, she got a good chance, carving through middle ice on a rush before tracking all the way back to the defensive zone and winning the puck back with a stick lift. In the second, she made a fantastic play out high, somehow keeping the puck in at the blue line with good hands and edgework in a tight space. She drove back in down the wing and nearly got a good look in the slot.
Nottingham paved the way for Kmiec's equalizer, dangling through the neutral zone off the rush before driving deep into the zone. She worked the puck down to Bennett for a good look before it popped out to Kmiec. Nottingham threatened again in the third with another strong shorthanded rush and chance with a minute left.
Mia Kmiec
HPNA, Class of 2026, F, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Kmiec's line with LaRiviere and Bennett was arguably the best in the game, and she was at the center of their strong outing. The trio consistently generated chances and offensive zone pressure for HPNA. Kmiec constantly got into middle ice and found ways to get open in the slot. It led to two good shooting chances in the slot, including one from a slick feed out of the corner by Bennett. Kmiec had a great look early in the third, pouncing on a turnover out high, walking in and trying to go short-side with a shot that was tough to handle for Barnes. Kmiec finally got rewarded with her late equalizer. She found soft space in the high slot and was in a perfect spot to get to the loose puck of Bennett's chance, putting a quick shot perfectly into the top left corner.
Ella Duffy
Methuen/Tewksbury, Class of 2026, F, right shot
Hometown: Methuen, Mass.
Duffy did a lot of little things well for Methuen/Tewksbury on her line with Sammy Ryan (Methuen, Mass.) and Sophia Barbosa (Methuen, Mass.). The three were strong forechecking as a unit and creating offense off of turnovers and out of the cycle. It led to a great redirect chance in front for Ryan in the first as Duffy worked the puck back out high after Barbosa forced a turnover. Duffy set up Ryan for another good look in the first with a slick heads-up pass to the slot. In the third, Duffy forced an offside with good physicality and a stick check, preventing a dangerous rush for HPNA.
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Bree Lawrence
Methuen/Tewksbury, Class of 2025, F, right shot, 5-2
Hometown: Methuen, Mass.
Lawrence put herself in good positions on the ice, and it led to good things. In the second, she found soft space in front before finding the loose puck after Chapman's shot was blocked and burying a turnaround shot to open the scoring. In the third, she was in a good spot as the high forward on the forecheck, forcing a turnover on the exit and walking right back into the slot for a good chance that wouldn't go.
Julianna Taylor
HPNA, Class of 2025, G, catches left, 5-10
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Neither of the two goals Taylor gave up were on her, and she managed to make some big saves for the Hillies to give them a chance to win. She was strong in the first as the Red Rangers pushed for an early goal, making some strong blocker saves off the rush before she was in a good spot at the top of her crease to handle Ryan's redirect. She later robbed Ryan again, pushing left to right to stay with her and make another big stop as the puck found her in the slot. In the third, she prevented Lawrence from doubling the lead off a turnover, making it look easy with the glove.
