Cabinet photo by TOM KING Former Bishop Guertin standout Julie McLaughlin of Merrimack tries to shoot on former New Hampston goalie Sophie Hausberger of Nashua in Sunday night’s third annual New Hampshire Girls High School Hockey Invitational at Tri-Town Arena in Hooksett.

HOOKSETT – Nashua’s Sophia Hausberger was a very busy hockey goalie on Sunday night.

But not as busy as she’s going to be. Hauserger collected 31 saves for Team Dunn in Sunday’s third annual New Hampshire Girls High School Hockey Invitational All-Star Game at Tri-Town Ice Arena.

The event brought together top talent from prep schools, public and private high schools and junior programs, with the stipulation the girls reside in New Hampshire. And it was likely Hausberger’s last competitive event before she heads to Austria in the fall to compete in that country’s women’s league, Bundesliga.

She’s competed the last four years at New Hampton School, and is set to play for Merrimack College in the 2023-24 season. But first, she is hoping to open some eyes in Austria to perhaps make the national women’s team there. She has dual citizenship.

“I’m over the moon, I’m so excited,” she said. “This was a good warm up to get ready for the season over there,” Hausberger said. “It’s a dream of mine to play on the Austrian National Team, I have dual citizenship, but to (qualify) I have to play a season on a club team over there.

“My deal with Merrimack College it worked out that I could take a ‘gap year’ and play on a team over there. I’m so excited.”

She got a workout in a game in which Team King (the teams were named after former New Hampshire Olympians Tricia Dunn and Katie King) trailed 6-1 but rallied.

“They started to play really well, they started passing, and had a girl open in front of the net,” Hausberger said.

But most of the time she was equal to the task. It will be that way in Austria, for sure, as she’s likely to be one of three goalies competing for time on her team. She leaves for Austria to start the season over there on Sept. 10.

ONE MORE TIME

Bishop Guertin standouts Julie McLaughlin (Merrimack) and Jenna Lynch (Brookline) were able to be on the ice together one last time in Sunday’s Junior-Senior game, playing for Team King. McLaughlin, who graduated from BG last month, leaves for Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Mich. in a few weeks to begin her collegiate academics and continue her hockey career while Lynch will be back to lead the Cardinals for her senior season. McLaughlin had a goal in Sunday night’s game. Both are former Telegraph Players of the Year, Lynch in 2021 and McLaughlin this past winter.

“It was kind of surreal, honestly,” Lynch said. “We played with each other for awhile, even before BG. Just our last game together, we were talking about it before, too, just how excited we were to be playing together for one last time.

“It’ll be interesting next year without here (at BG), but it’ll be a good year.”

FINALLY A CHANCE

Another Nashuan, Kenzley Goode, just finished her freshman year at Cushing Academy and was finally able to play in the Freshmen-Sophomore Game, won by Team Mounsey over Goode’s Team Flanagan, 5-3.

Goode, daughter of the event’s creator/founder, Nashua businessman Jon Goode (and former Silver Knights VP), spent the first two years helping her dad put on the event.

“It was awesome being a part of it, finally, and not just watching,” said Goode, who started on defense for Team Flanagan. “It was really nice.”

Goode, who attended BG for her junior high years before heading to Cushing, said after experiencing one season the hockey at the prep school was intense.

“It was really fast paced,” she said. “But you get close with everyone on the team. It’s awesome.”

Goode was just impressed with the competition Sunday after finally experiencing it.

“It’s crazy seeing how good these New Hampshire girls are and how much the girls program (statewide) has built. It’s just awesome playing out there in my state with all the best girls.”

PLAYERS OF THE GAMES

Team Mounsey topped Team Flanagan in the frosh-soph game, 5-3, with Brentwood’s Lauren Roeder (Valley Junior Warriors) scoring two goals to earn Player of the Game honors.

Team Dunn topped Team King 7-5, and the POG was Windham’s Mia Langlois (Cushing Academy) with two goals and an assist. Langlois is headed to Northeastern.

Meanwhile, in between games there was a Fastest Skater Competition, with competitors timed as they skated basically the perimeter of the rink. Winning that was another Windham resident, Julia Pellerin (New Hampton), who was just under 15 seconds. If that last name looks familiar, she is the daughter of former NHL player Scott Pellerin.

EVENT GETTING BETTER

Two years ago, due to COVID, the initial event had limited attendance and just one game. Last year it finally was the way Jon Goode envisioned, and this year in his opinion it was even better, held a few weeks earlier than the first two years due to rink and player/staff availability.

“I thought it went great,” Goode said. “The biggest difference was we had to turn away so many girls this year. We had so many requests from people wanting to play in the game, probably the biggest difference from the first year.

“The game has really grown to the point where it’s truly the best of the best of the 603. All the compliments I got was how good the hockey was.

“It’s grown tremendously. We’ve had more sponsors than we’ve ever had.”

Proceeds from the event benefit the New Hampshire Girls Hockey Association.