Thayer boys hockey defeats Cushing Academy in thriller

The Thayer boys varsity hockey team hosted the Penguins of Cushing Academy on the afternoon of Jan. 18 at Thayer Sports Center. The stage was set for a great rivalry game, and the two teams did not disappoint. 

The first period was a back-and-forth affair as both sides vied for control of the puck and the ice. Cushing was first on the board with a goal by Raphael Marcoux with 13:41 left in the period. The Tigers refused to relent and continued to pester the Penguin net; with 5:22 left in the period, Teddy Lally ‘25 found his opportunity and collected the team’s first goal off a pass from Josh Halliday ‘24. Less than two minutes later, sophomores Tommy Anderson ‘25 and Brady Kudrick ‘25 combined to give the home team their second of the night. Ryan Mottau ‘24 showed his persistence with 38 seconds left in the period when he found an open Charlie Wilkinson ‘25, whose goal sent the Tigers into the locker room with a commanding 3-1 lead. 

The second period saw tremendous effort by both sides as Thayer looked to seal the deal and the visitors refused to go down without a fight. With just 42 seconds left in the period, Cushing’s Malcolm Green received a combo platter from Tyler Russo and Linas Dedinas to end the period with a glimmer of hope for the Penguins. Thayer’s lead now stood at 3-2. 

The third period proved a battle royale with both teams flexing for possession of the puck and control of the ice. The Tigers showed their mettle late in the game, with the Cushing goalie pulled, in a six-on-five rush. Halliday and Brady Erickson ‘24 teamed up to send the puck down the ice for an empty goal and a 4-2 final. 

Thayer goalie Beau Lane ‘23 was outstanding, collecting 38 saves on 40 shots.

The Tigers, under the leadership of head coach David Hymovitz ‘92, host Dexter Southfield today (Friday, Jan. 20) at Thayer Sports Center with puck drop at 5 p.m. The Thayer community is invited and encouraged to cheer their Tigers on to victory.