The top-seeded Deerfield Academy boys hockey team looked every bit the part in its NEPSAC Elite Bracket quarterfinal contest against Noble & Greenough School on Wednesday. 

The Big Green lit the scoreboard up in both the first and second periods and hung on in the third to walk away with a 4-1 victory at Class of 1993 Arena. 

Deerfield advanced to host No. 4 Cushing in the semifinals on Saturday, with Cushing coming off a 6-3 victory over Brunswick on Wednesday. 

After grinding out low-scoring games throughout the season, DA was more than ready for that kind of contest to open the postseason. 

“We have five seniors on our defense and a great goalie,” Big Green coach Tim McVaugh said. “We’ve been playing these kind of tight games for what seems like three months now. We’re ready for it. These types of games, we’re used to. Nobles is a hell of a team though. That was a battle all night.” 

While Deerfield led 2-0 going into the third, eighth-seeded Nobles had plenty of chances to try to spring the upset. 

Ted MacAusland raced to the net on the rush and put one home to cut the DA lead to 2-1 with 12:42 to play. 

With 4:55 to go, and the Big Green on the power play, Nobles’ Billy MacAusland snuck behind the Deerfield defense and was tripped while driving to the net. The referees awarded a penalty shot on the play. 

Billy MacAusland took the penalty shot and tried to beat DA goalie Elliot Lennon glove side, but the junior was wise to it and made the save to preserve the lead. 

Oliver Duininck helped seal things by putting in an empty net goal with 2:14 to go and Cam Umlah tacked on a second empty net goal with 32 seconds to play.

Deerfield’s Ben Paterson opened the scoring with 5:28 to go in the opening period. The Big Green were able to dig the puck out of the corner and it slid to Paterson in front, who potted it home to put DA on top early.

The Big Green added to their lead in the second. Deerfield killed off a penalty and found Oliver Duininck coming out of the box. With a head of steam, Duininck fed a pass across the ice to Nate Watson who buried the shot to give DA a 2-0 lead with 8:38 to play in the second.

“Benny got us going to start which was great,” McVaugh said. “We just find different ways to score. I didn’t think we were at our best on both ends of the ice but we got the win and that’s all that matters.”

Girls hockey

Deerfield Academy 3, Milton Academy 2 (OT) — It looked like the Big Green’s season was going to come to a premature end in the NEPSAC Large School quarterfinals.

Seventh-seeded Milton took a 2-1 lead with 6:28 to play and after the Mustangs killed off a penalty late, second-seeded Deerfield was forced to pull its goalie.

After ringing the post with one minute to go, senior Chloe Cleaves collected a rebound and fired it home with 50 seconds to play to tie the game and force overtime.

It was all the Big Green in the OT period and with 10:58 to go, DA put the game away.

Cleaves and Peyton Wierl put shots on goal that were saved,but Keira Austen jumped up and put home the rebound to send DA to the semifinals with a 3-2 overtime victory.

“That was a very good team we played,” Deerfield coach Brooke Fernandez said. “That was the hardest working team we faced all year. Their goaltending was excellent and they were well disciplined. When you play an opponent like that it’s pretty tough to score. They took advantage of the opportunities they had. I was proud of the kids for fighting through it.

“Before the third period I told them we only had 18 minutes left together,” Fernandez added. “We had to stick to the plan and have confidence.”

The Big Green moved on to face sixth-seeded Kent in the semifinals on Saturday. Kent captured a 3-2 overtime win over Berkshire on Wednesday.

It was a scoreless first period at Class of 1993 Arena before Milton Academy opened the scoring with 12:41 to go in the second off the stick of Maddie Bonavita. Cleaves tied the game with 10 minutes to go in the second on the power play off a dish from Allie Corrieri.