Player of the Week: Lauren Ryan, Methuen/Tewksbury Hockey

Methuen/Tewksbury freshman Lauren Ryan has been selected as the Valley Sports Daily Player of the Week for Dec. 22 through Dec. 28. Ryan is the first student-athlete chosen as Player of the Week for the winter season.

Ryan’s first career goal was a memorable one, potting the game-winner with 20 seconds left in Methuen/Tewksbury’s thrilling 2-1 win over a talented Winchester team. Collecting the puck along the top of the right faceoff circle on the power play, Ryan walked in just below the dot and unleashed a wrist shot into the bottom left corner of the net to play hero in the exciting victory.

“Lauren is a great player who has great vision of the ice, is a good skater and a solid defenseman,” said interim head coach Ryan Sheehy. “She knows when she can rush the puck and when to stay back and hold the line. She is young (a freshman) but plays like a senior and is crucial to our success and our strong defense side of the game.”

Her sister, Sammy, opened the scoring in the third period after the Red Rangers entered the final frame eying a 2-0 deficit. The two-goal salvo came in a five-minute span. Lauren, a blueliner, is one of the many young talents on Methuen/Tewksbury’s deep roster this winter. The Red Rangers are off to a 5-0-0 start under the direction of Sheehy and have outscored their opponents by a 13-2 margin.

The Player of the Week is selected by the Valley Sports Daily staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at 8:00 PM. There may be a poll posted on Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.