CONCORD, Mass. — Assabet Valley was on its heels.
Emma MacPherson (Sandwich, Mass.) tied it for the East Coast Wizards 19Us with seven minutes left in the second period. After falling behind in the first period, the Wizards had dominated much of the second period with possession and dangerous scoring chances, thanks to several power plays.
But Assabet had a chance to flip the momentum back in their favor with a late power play, and they made no mistake.
Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) got the puck at the top of the umbrella, cut toward middle ice and fired a heavy wrist shot on net that changed direction and found a way inside the left post to restore Assabet's one-goal lead with two minutes left in the period.
From there, Assabet held the Wizards at bay in the third period for the 2-1 win in Sunday's NEGHL action.
It marked one of the top matchups of the 19U fall slate, as the two rosters combined for 21 college commits.
Let's dive into nine standouts from the high-powered clash.
Maggie Averill
Assabet/Phillips Andover, 9/9/2008, D, right shot, 5-11
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.
NCAA: Princeton
Averill was a force all game for Assabet, especially on the penalty kill in the second period. She played with a ton of energy and pace, breaking up plays and getting things going the other way quickly. At one point, it nearly led to a shorthanded breakaway for the defender after a battle down low in the corner. Her goal came as she did what she does best, quarterbacking the power play and ripping a heavy shot on net. Averill had another strong sequence in the third, winning a battle with Ava Giroux (St. Albans, Vt.) down low, fending off another forechecker and leading the rush the other way. Her strength and vision were on full display.
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Evelyn Doyle
Assabet/Dexter Southfield, 8/14/07, F, left shot, 5-6
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
NCAA: Yale
Doyle's two-way prowess was on full display as she was a defensive force throughout the game. She hounded puck carriers and came through with clutch plays. She sold out to block Ziter's shot from the left dot on a 5-on-3 before leading an exit after the Wizards coughed it up. Later, she got her stick down to block a centering feed before Assabet cleared. Doyle also had a great look of her own, taking advantage of a Wizards turnover out high as she walked in and rang the crossbar with a drag-snap shot from the right dot.
Ava Giroux
East Coast Wizards/Deerfield, 9/7/2007, F, right shot, 5-8
Hometown: St. Albans, Vt.
NCAA: Dartmouth
Giroux was dangerous offensively, especially alongside Brenna Ziter (Williston, Vt.) and Maggie Lovering (Scituate, Mass.). Giroux was a strong net-front presence in the attacking end, creating space for herself and fairing well in battles as she got chances around the net. One of her best looks came when she was first on a loose puck high in the offensive zone before driving in and sending a centering feed in front. Giroux also drew multiple penalties in the second.
Maggie Berleth
Assabet/St. Paul's, 2007, D left shot. 5-6
Hometown: Manchester, N.H.
NCAA: Brown
Berleth was a stout defensive presence for Assabet. She kept things simple and made smart plays, particularly on the penalty kill. One of her best sequences came at the end of the second. She had excellent stick positioning against Lilly Winckler on a zone entry, making a strong stick check, winning the battle and getting a clear. Later, she won another battle along the boards before strongly killing clock to end the second.
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Ines Khamis
Assabet/Cushing, 3/2/08, G, left shot, 5-6
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
Khamis was absolutely nails as the Wizards' power play units had Assabet under siege in the second. She took away the lower half of the net and held strong in scrambles. Her strong positioning came through on long-range shots through traffic and redirections in front of her net. She had some terrific stops on Ziter, MacPherson and Rachel Zhao (Westwood, Mass.) around the net, standing tall against second and third chances as the Wizards jammed away around her crease.
Sienna DeAngelis
East Coast Wizards/Phillips Andover, 10/2008, D, right shot, 5-6
Hometown: Holmdel, N.J.
DeAngelis did a good job moving the puck up ice for the Wizards. She used her legs effectively, kept her head up and found skating lanes in the neutral zone. She had a great play just outside the offensive zone, intercepting an Assabet stretch pass, dangling around a defender and driving into the attacking zone before setting up Winckler for a great chance inside the left dot.
Emma MacPherson
East Coast Wizards/New Hampton, 06/2008, F, left shot, 5-5
Hometown: Sandwich, Mass.
It was a matter of time before MacPherson broke through in that second period. She had some terrific chances in front, getting multiple deflections in front before getting a handful of chances after Zhao's wraparound bid. MacPherson finally got rewarded when she tied it, getting the puck on the doorstep off a shot-pass from the point before jamming it home.
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Carly Dann
East Coast Wizards/Loomis Chaffee, 7/21/2008, D, left shot, 5-9
Hometown: Hanover, N.H.
NCAA: Cornell
Dann's strength was impressive as she worked high-to-low plays in the offensive zone and held onto pucks against multiple defenders. In the third, she was aggressive on the penalty kill, kicking out to the flanks quickly and taking away time and space from puck carriers. It helped her easily intercept a centering pass before clearing it the length of the rink.
Julia Lambert
Assabet/Cushing, 7/1/2008, F, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Wilmington, Mass.
NCAA: Stonehill
Lambert played her typical game with a high motor and a ton of compete. It showed best late in the game with a tremendous effort in the defensive zone. Lambert stepped up and blocked a rocket from Dann at the point. It hobbled her, but she hustled the other way for a potential fast break. She got crunched by Dann as she got the stretch pass, drawing a penalty and putting Assabet on the power play in a key spot toward the end of regulation.
