DEERFIELD — Erin and Kelly Howe aren’t ready to see their final season as teammates come to a close.
Erin, a senior, and Kelly, a sophomore, have been teammates on the Deerfield Academy girls hockey team for the past two seasons, and following a 2-1 loss to Cushing Academy on their home ice Wednesday, the sisters have just three remaining games together this season.
“We’ve only had the last two years together,” Kelly Howe said. “It’s been a good time. I’m going to miss (Erin). I go to her with all my problems.”
Trying to make a playoff run, the Big Green are currently a few spots out of the hunt. They likely need to come out with multiple wins during the final stretch to see their run extend into the postseason.
With just two guaranteed home games remaining on the schedule, the sisters are trying to cherish every last moment they have left together on the ice.
“Our senior game is next Saturday,” Erin said. “We go to Dunkin’ Donuts together before every home game. I’m trying not to think about it until then.”
During Wednesday’s loss, DA (9-12-1) dug itself into an early hole, with the Penguins opening up a 2-0 lead going into the third period.
The first goal came off a 2-on-1 opportunity in front of the goal in the first period, the second coming midway through the second period off a snipe from the point.
In the third, the tides turned in the Big Green’s favor.
After seeing the play held in their end for the majority of the first two periods, DA utilized an aggressive forecheck to keep the puck in the Cushing end of the ice during the third.
Following a spree late in which the Big Green got off multiple shot attempts to no avail, Christina Halloran dished to Ellia Chiang, who found an open Sydney Cresta, who buried it into the net to make it a 2-1 game with under five minutes to play in the third.
Unfortunately for DA, the goal would be the only time it was able to light up the scoreboard.
“I felt it coming at the end,” Erin said. “The energy on the bench was crazy. We came out with a lot of energy today. We usually have a tough time with that but the first period we came out thriving. We let a couple of bad ones in and then started to come back but couldn’t finish.”
Getting to the postseason will take an uphill climb for the Big Green. Their final three games are against Hotchkiss, Williston and Loomis, all formidable foes. After coming close to making the postseason the last couple years, getting there is the goal for the team right now.
“We’ve been trying to make playoffs,” Erin said. “Right now, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen. We’ve been trying to get to .500 to be even with wins and losses but we’re just on the verge of it. This would be the first year we’ve made the playoffs. We’ve been one spot away the last two years.”
Even without a postseason appearance, both Erin and Kelly have enjoyed the season, saying it’s been one of their favorites.
“It’s been a good year,” Kelly said. “I’ve had a lot of fun. This team is the closest it’s ever been.”
Erin and Kelly are the daughters of DA athletic director, Bob Howe. Having been at different prep schools before arriving in Deerfield, the two love having their dad around, even though he occasionally tries to embarrass them when he sees them around campus.
Both girls try to eat lunch with him whenever they can.
“We’ve grown up on prep schools our whole life,” Kelly said. “We were down at Loomis Chaffee before this. Four years ago, we moved here. I think it’s so much fun here. It doesn’t embarrass me.”