Methuen’s Conway delivers dynamic pro hockey season, featured on ESPN

Apr. 4—Around 9 p.m very last Monday, Twitter began to excitement throughout the Merrimack Valley.

Amanda Conway, the document-environment former Methuen High hockey star, was being showcased on ESPN.

Now a member of the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation women’s experienced league, Conway experienced just scored a emphasize-reel objective in the league’s championship sport, and was interviewed involving intervals live on ESPN.

“Currently being interviewed on ESPN was great!” said Conway, a 2015 Methuen Higher graduate. “I was more anxious than regular while mainly because I realized it was on Tv. But it was however an great working experience. Actively playing for the championship on ESPN was seriously incredible, and a terrific stage in the appropriate way for women’s hockey.”

The target in the Isobel Cup championship match — which appeared on ESPN SportsCenter — was the end result of a breakout 12 months for Conway in the six-staff PHF, the country’s premier women’s hockey league, previously recognised as the Countrywide Women’s Hockey League (NWHL).

Conway completed the year fourth in the PHF in targets (12), led the league in ability enjoy ambitions (5) and was sixth in factors (21) in 18 video games this winter season.

“Enjoying for the Connecticut Whale this winter was a thing quite exclusive,” claimed the 25-year-outdated forward. “It was fundamentally my to start with yr because previous season was only 5 video games owing to COVID. The group environment this calendar year was magnificent and seriously made it fun to go to follow and vacation for games. It was a great period.”

Professional star

She experienced historic professions at Methuen Higher (204 targets in three seasons. was No. 2 all-time in point out) and at Norwich (school-record 116 targets), winning NCAA Division 3 MVP honors as a senior. Conway was drafted with the No. 18 in general pick in the then-NWHL Draft by the Whale.

Was she at any time nervous about going from a Division 3 college or university to a league created up largely of former Division 1 higher education stars?

“I was under no circumstances nervous about the competitiveness,” mentioned Conway. “I think I normally knew I could it. It was just a issue of time prior to it started off occurring. I knew once I uncovered my spot and I was snug, things would drop into spot

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“(My success exhibits) that the change among D3 and D1 university hockey for some players was just a option they created for what was best for them at the time, like in my scenario. A good deal of people consider it truly is a big hole, but I just don’t see significantly difference’s between the divisions.”

She appeared in 4 of the Whale’s five game titles as a rookie through the COVID-shortened 2020-21, scoring a intention and an assist.

Conway returned this wintertime, and recognized herself as a star. She scored a objective in 6 of Connecticut’s very first seven online games. She ended the regular period with 5 plans in the Whale’s remaining four online games, then scored the video game-tying goal in the championship.

“My most unforgettable minute is the aim from the championship,” she said of the wrist shot she fired household from the left faceoff circle. “I had my dad and mom in the group, and to tie the match for my staff was a substantial turning place in the match. Even though we didn’t appear out on top rated (Boston received 4-2), that was a enormous purpose for me.”

Juggling actual existence

Like all gamers in the PHF, Conway juggles hockey and a whole-time career.

She is now the director of the North Shore Wings Hockey Club ladies system, which she beforehand performed for.

Conway now life in Amesbury, a a few-hour, 180-mile travel from the Danbury (Conn.) Ice Arena that the Whale contact household.

“Juggling perform and observe is surely complicated at moments, since I was commuting to Connecticut twice a week for apply and then online games on the weekend,” said Conway. “But the experience so considerably has been wonderful and I would change it for anything.”

Conway claimed she is uncertain what will occur subsequent in her professional hockey journey, but she would love to make off this winter.

“I have really imagined about subsequent yr at all yet,” she claimed. “I am hoping to be again, but we will see what transpires.”

TWITTER: DWillisET