MANCHESTER – The Concord High boys’ hockey team had an off year last season, but took a step forward by reclaiming the Brian C. Stone Memorial Tournament title after beating Exeter, 3-1, in dominant fashion in Saturday night’s final at the JFK Coliseum in Manchester.

The Crimson Tide swept all competition out of the way over the weekend, and while the games don’t count towards the NHIAA standings, it was a significant demonstration of Tide’s high-powered offense and solid defense.

Concord is yet to lose a game this season (the Tide are 2-0 in NHIAA Division I play and 5-0 overall), and, even more impressively, the championship game was the first time the Tide scored less than four goals in a game. Concord’s overall performance has been spectacular, and it was no surprise that three Tide players were named to the All-Tournament team. 

Senior defenseman Cam Chandonnet and junior center Chad LaRiviere were presented with their plaques, alongside freshman goalie Carter Heise, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after only allowing two goals in three games. Bow’s senior forward Owen Webber also made the All-Tournament team and helped the Falcons place fourth with his prowess up-front. 

“I think that the tournament overall, winning is more important. I think the team accomplishment is more important than individual. But I think that my performance and what I did out there was good enough to help us win, which, at the end of the day, got me an award,” Heise said with a big grin post-game.

The team, led by veteran head coach Dunc Walsh, beat Manchester easily, 7-1, in Thursday’s first round, and then beat Goffstown, 4-0, in the semifinal on Friday to advance to the championship. The Blue Hawks knocked the Tide boys out of last year’s playoff tournament in an upset in overtime, but Concord did not allow that to happen again.

“We got to get everybody on the same page tonight. I thought a couple lines weren’t as good as they were last night, and that’s gonna happen. But we got the depth, which helps. I mean, the fourth line comes out first shift tonight, they get the third goal. So that's the stuff you like to see,” Walsh said.

The game remained scoreless even halfway through the second period, though Concord kept its foot on the gas and found good shots. Finally, in the second period, Chandonnet broke the deadlock with a rocket from the edge of the blue line during a 5-on-3 power play, assisted by freshmen forwards Lukas Rondiak and Nolan Walsh.

The Tide went on to seal the game with two more goals early in the third period. Exeter’s goalie, Logan Dixon, who had been spectacular all night, mishandled a puck with his stick and senior center Trevor Craigue swooped in to score the second. Sophomore left winger Tyler Mayo finished the job with a savvy tip three minutes later.

However, it was not a perfect game for the Tide. Junior Michael Barry was given a five-minute major penalty for hitting Exeter’s Dixon because, as Dixon was leaving the ice for a 6-on-5 play during a delayed minor penalty, Barry went for the puck near the edge of the neutral zone, and slammed into Dixon. 

Heise showed off his skills in net and had eight saves in the third period after Concord’s two penalties late in the third, which gave the Blue Hawks two minutes of 5-on-3 and then three minutes of 5-on-4 power plays to end the game. Exeter’s goal was scored in the final minute, but by then, the game was nearly over.

It was a very happy holiday for the Tide and will look to keep rolling on Saturday as NHIAA hockey resumes with a rematch against Exeter.

Alexander Rapp can be reached at arapp@cmonitor.com