KUA Edges Dexter to Advance to NEPSAC Final

Kimball Union 2, Dexter 1 A strong team effort propelled the Kimball Union boys’ varsity hockey team to a 2-1 road victory over Dexter School on Saturday to advance to Sunday’s NEPSAC Elite-8 final at St. Anselm’s in Manchester. KUA took control of the game early, getting several great chances on the Dexter goal before senior Roope Hirvonen opened the scoring for KUA. After a strong effort from linemate Mike Lombardi, Hirvonen picked up the puck from the goal line and outwaited the Dexter goalie before firing the puck into the top of the net. KUA kept the lead through the first, but early in the second Dexter tied the score at one off a scramble in front of the KUA net. However, the lead was relatively short-lived, as just five minutes later KUA senior Paul McAuliffe intercepted a clearing attempt by the Dexter goalie and fed fellow senior J.D. Caras who tapped the puck into the net to restore the KUA lead. The third period saw KUA continue to play well and limit Dexter’s chances. Junior goalie Sean Dynan was sharp in the KUA net and made some key saves in the final minutes to preserve the win.