Telegraph photo by TOM KING The Hollis Brookline-Derryfield Warriors celebrate their 5-3 win over Merrimack on Friday that lands them in today's Conway Arena Holiday Tournament finals.

NASHUA — They are like the poor stepchildren of local teams using Conway Arena.

The Hollis Brookline-Derryfield Warriors get the 5 a.m.practice time slot three days a week. Well, they could be treated like royalty at the end of the day today, as the Warriors will take on Keene in the 2 p.m. finals of the Conway Arena Holiday Hockey Tournament.

They topped Merrimack, 5-3 in Friday’s first game for their second straight tourney win. In fact, with a 2-0 regular season start, the Warriors have yet to lose this young season.

“You know, we’ve got a good group of guys, three solid lines,” Warriors sophomore forward Paul Vachon, who scored the clinching goal yesterday, said. “We’re so excited (to be in the finals). We’re ready.”

Keene (1-0-1) makes the title game by virtue of a tense 3-3 tie with Nashua North-Souhegan in the last game of the day.

HOLLIS BROOKLINE-DERRYFIELD 5,

MERRIMACK 3

The Warriors had five different players enter the scoring column, but the biggest score was an unassisted goal by Brian Puttney at 11:02 of the first half that snapped a 1-1 tie.

“That gave us a lot of confidence,” HBD coach Joel Sanborn said. “And sometimes that’s all you need.”

“Momentum is huge in high school hockey,” Tomahawks coach Dan Belliveau said. “Sometimes you just have to take it and run with it. That’s what we did (Thursday), we didn’t do that (Friday).”

The Warriors did, though. They got a breakaway goal by Sal Vella to open the scoring, plus scores in the second half by Cole Giersch (Joey Oetjens assist), Derek Wagner (Puttney, Jesse Gertz), and Vachon (Vella assist). Vachon’s goal came at 13:06 and made it a 5-2 game.

The Tomahawks,meanwhile, got an early game tying goal (1-1) by Kai Schimp (Owen Miner assist), and then second half goals by Andrew Frothingham (Dylan Sadowski assist) and Zach Stimeling (from Frothingham).

Merrimack goalie Ben Hardy had to leave the game with a hand injury, but it’s not believed to be serious. He and Matt Licata combined for 15 saves while HBD netminder Rylan Morgan had 15 as well. The Warriors have scored 13 goals in the two tourney games.

“We’re excited,” Sanborn said. “we’re excited for the whole season.”

KEENE 3,

NASHUA NORTH-SOUHEGAN 3

Blackbirds coach Chris McIntosh while glad to have reached the title game, wasn’t happy to lose one of his better players, forward Zach Mooers, to injury while his team blew leads of 2-0 (first half) and 3-2 (late).

“I certainly wished we were entering (the finals) in a different fashion,” he said. “These types of games are frustrating for a lot of different reasons. … We had so many opportunities, and we’re letting teams hang around. Credit to (North-Souhegan), they hung in there until the end.”

The Saber-Titans were happy, as while they went 0-for-4 on the power play in the second half, they got a game-tying goal from Will Dodge at 15:46 of the second half, assisted by Pete Lennox and Jack Belter. Belter had a goal to go with two assists, as he and Lennox scored in the first half to knot the game at 2-2.

Keene, which got first half goals from Ben Brown and Jerred Tattersal for a 2-0 lead, took a 3-2 advantage at 7:45 of the second half on Brown’s second goal, assisted by Mooers.

“We don’t pack it in, we’ll fight to the end,” North-Souhegan coach Matt Osgood said. “Keene’s a great team, they’re probably better than most teams we’re going to play during the year. … We’re a pretty resilient bunch.”

However, the Saber-Titans got hit with injuries too, among them key playes Josh Constant and Jordan Joyal. North-Souhegan goalie Colin Duckless had 33 saves while Keene’s Jacob Russell had 20, including a few in a frantic finish with North-Souhegan on the power play.

NASHUA SOUTH-PELHAM 3,

ALVIRNE-MILFORD 1

The Kings – who may have made the finals had North-Souhegan beaten Keene thanks to tiebreakers – were in control, despite not a huge lead, throughout, getting two goals by Nolan Foss (one at 10:50 of the first half) and a goal and an assist by Chris Skelley for a 3-0 lead late. Sean Connors and goalie Nate Serrentino also had assists.

But the game details took a back seat to a late charging major/game misconduct to Kings forward Johnny Pinksten, who may or may not miss further time (possibly two to four games, although not confirmed).

Alvirne-Milford took advantage with a late power play goal by Corey Girouard.

“It’s a wrong call,” Connors said. “One hundred percent wrong. … If you’re skating in the same direction, and I hit you, that’s not a charge, that’s me backchecking.

“But it is what it is. Alvirne(-Milford) played a good game. It’s hockey. I’m just frustrated. … That (losing Pinksten) would be a huge loss.”

“I do agree with the rule, it’s a new (charging) rule this year,” Alvirne-Milford coach Dave Thibeault said, his rebuilding team with a much better showing on Day Two. “I was happy to see that call made, the game was getting a little out of line.”

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