MANCHESTER – Sometimes history repeats itself. Sometimes it’s not even close.
Just 16 days before Saturday’s Division I girls hockey state championship, Hanover dismantled Oyster River/Portsmouth, 10-1 in the regular-season finale for the ClipperCats.
More: Heartbreak Finish: Hanover scores game-winner in final minute of girls hockey title game
So, outside observers could be forgiven if expectations were low going into Saturday’s meeting between the two programs.
Inside the Oyster River/Portsmouth locker room expectations were anything but low, especially after Mallory DeSantis’ second-period goal gave the ClipperCats a 1-0 lead.
A lead that stood until the final minutes when second-seeded Hanover scored the equalizer with 5:39 left, and the game-winner with just 46.4 seconds on the clock, ultimately skating off with a 2-1 win at Southern New Hampshire University Arena.
The ClipperCats justified their confidence they could compete with Hanover, thanks in large part to sophomore goalie Sage Bussiere, who stopped 20 of 22 shots.
Though Bussiere looked like a seasoned veteran in the championship, that 10-1 loss 16 days prior was her first start as a hockey goalie. And Saturday’s championship game was Bussiere’s fourth start in goal since filling in for starter Prudence Bellmare who was lost for the season with mono.
“I don’t think most people would have known that was our backup goalie,” said Oyster River/Portsmouth head coach Jamie Long. “This team put 10 (goals) on her two weeks ago. Same exact teams. We just didn’t play well that day, and today I thought our girls played very well.”
The only difference was the level of confidence that Bussiere, a goalie for the Oyster River lacrosse team, and her teammates brought to the ice Saturday. Bussier really shined in the final frame, when Hanover outshot the ClipperCats, 11-1.
“I think we definitely knew that our game last time we played them wasn’t us,” Bussiere said. “We knew we could compete with them. I think a lot of people were doubting our ability to play with them after that loss, but we made it here. I think we proved those people wrong.”
Long called Bussiere a hard-working, good athlete.
“They always say if you don’t know who to put in goal, put in a good athlete,” Long said. (With her lacrosse background) it made sense.”
With an inexperienced goalie in net, and realigned defense, many outsiders doubted the ClipperCats. Long was…
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