DEDHAM, Mass. — With just over three minutes remaining in the third period, Buckingham Browne & Nichols hemmed Dexter Southfield in its own end, cycling the puck along the corner boards while leading with its smothering forecheck.
It’s a tactic that BB&N used all game Sunday in the Large School championship as it defended its 1-0 lead for 46:45, and earned the NEPSAC title with a win by the same score.
Junior forward Savana Littlewood’s goal at 4:15 of the first period was the lone tally – and ultimate game-winner. The down-low, knock-in shot was a product of BB&N’s tenacity in puck battles and the constant pestering of Dexter freshman goaltender Annabelle Aitken.
The early offensive zone pressure caught Dexter on its heels, and BB&N was able to play shutdown hockey for the remainder of the game once gaining the opening-frame advantage.
Through all of Dexter’s pushes – including three total opportunities on the power play – BB&N’s senior goalie Alexsa Caron showed poise and confidence between the pipes, and earned the tournament MVP with the championship shutout.
Caron used her towering size to her advantage and took up a big chunk of the net without overextending herself on rush plays from Dexter. The captain rarely gave up a rebound or second chance shot and tracked the puck well through traffic, making key stops throughout the competition.
Following a dominant 17 minutes from BB&N to start the matchup, Dexter found its legs in the middle stanza and opened things up on the ice. Senior Grace Lynch had a dangerous wrap-around look, and the team’s man advantage with 6:05 on the clock produced a flurry of shots on goal – however, nothing fell.
BB&N came into the third period ready to counter whatever desperation-style of hockey Dexter was going to present. The physicality was there – a lot – and Dexter was able to string together sustained zone time in the first half of the frame. However, as time wound down, BB&N clogged up the middle of the ice and leaned on its upperclassmen depth to get it to the finish line as Dexter skated 6-on-5 with Aitken pulled.
With four seniors and 11 juniors, BB&N’s veteran game management shined in its ability to close out while protecting a one-goal lead. After starting the 2023-24 season with a 4-6-2 record, BB&N got to its best hockey at the right time and was 11-4-1 since Jan. 27, adding one last victory to the win column with the championship clinching Sunday.
Here are three takeaways from the matchup:
1. BB&N got right to its forechecking game from puck drop. It didn’t give Dexter time to settle into its game, and instead got to set the pace of the competition. BB&N’s forwards collectively played a strong two-way game, supporting the teams’ defensive efforts and pinching in when needed to regain possession.
2. It was a gutty third period from both sides. Dexter never let up its pressure and maintained a high level of energy despite trailing – it took a period for them to simply put pucks on net, but once they did, their top-six especially was a threat every shift. Dexter ran into a hot goalie playing one of her best games of the season.
3. BB&N’s composure arguably won it the game, from its goaltender out. While only leading by one for all three periods, there was never a sense of panic – it almost looked like BB&N was skating with a three-goal advantage. Junior defenseman Lexi Mara set the tone on the blueline and was a big part of BB&N’s physical edge that kept them ahead.
