Cheshire 1 @ #2 Notre-Dame-West Haven 2 @ TD Bank Sports Arena
-This result definitely helps Cheshire a lot more than it does ND-WH. In fact, I don't think this is how the Green Knights wanted to look going into their match-up at #1 Fairfield Prep on Friday. Box score:
Goals
1st period: ND - Greg Zullo (Anthony Astorino, Colby Cretella) 9:57; 2nd period: ND - Cameron Hotchkiss (Greg Zullo, Colby Cretella) 8:41; C - Tyler Violano (Walter Cashore) 12:13.
Saves: C - Tyler Carbone 30; ND - Paul Sliwinski 11.
Shots: C - 12; ND - 32.
#8 West Haven 5 @ Daniel Hand 4
-Another high-scoring comeback win for the Blue Devils as they continue to struggle on defense, which made this a close one with one of the elite DII teams this year (that was first to score and leading from 5:18 in the first until 1:25 left in the third); here's the box score:
Goals
1st period: H - Mitch Brown (Ryan DeMatteo) 5:18; Nico Capone 14:54. 2nd period: H - Ryan DeMatteo 1:08; WH - Josh Robichuaud (Kyle Leyerzapf, Austin Hansen) 3:01; Kyle Leyerzapf (Mike Troiano, Jake Lynch) 6:45; H - Mike Deane 9:38; WH - Adam Mink 13:43. 3rd period: WH - Adam Mink 4:27; Adam Mink 13:35.
St. Joseph 1 @ New Canaan 6
-New Canaan is now back at an even 3-3 with the very tough schedule they are playing this year; good win here. St. Joseph's 48 shots on goal weren't enough to make this game even close; box score:
Goals
1st period: SJ - Ryan Corcoran (Matt Vazzano) 6:08; NC - Dylan HArt (Jake Granito) 6:58; Harry Stanton 14:31. 2nd period: NC - Jake Granito (Chip Glover) 3:50; Chip Glover (Spencer Manchuck) 6:06; Spencer Manchuck (Dylan Hart) 12:09. 3rd period: NC - Spencer Manchuck (Chip Glover) 6:13.
Saves: SJ - Marc VanEtten 17, Ron Johnson 6; NC - Chris Koennecke 47.
Shots: - SJ 48; NC - 29.
#3 Hamden 1 @ #1 Fairfield Prep 3 @ TD Bank Sports Arena
-I was not able to attend but I did watch online (sportingnewsct.com) and Hamden is no longer undefeated. The biggest game of the season thus far started off just as you would expect from these two teams: fast and physical. Hamden won the first period but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard other than a 14-7 lead in shots. The Green Dragons controlled the game early leading shots 4-0 at one point but then Fairfield Prep finally broke into Hamden’s zone and started getting some shots on goal. Andy Varga, the senior in net for Hamden, made some really good saves and his defense blocked a lot of shots to prevent Prep from scoring when their forwards started heating up. However, that made the Jesuits a little frustrated and one of their forwards slashed Varga after the whistle a little after halfway through the period and Hamden got their first power play opportunity. The Green Dragons got some very good shots on goal but Fairfield Prep goalie Riley Wikman stood on his head with the way he was turning shot after shot away and making spectacular gloves saves as well. Even after stopping Hamden from scoring on the powerplay, all the pressure was still on him as the puck spent the majority of the period in Prep’s zone. Hamden had one opportunity when I believe it was Lee who centered the puck to someone and that Hamden player failed to put it home but really should have; the score should have been at least 1-0 Hamden after one period. Instead, a Hamden player picked up a stupid roughing penalty for punching a Prep player after the whistle behind Prep’s net with 31 seconds left.
However, Fairfield Prep was unable to score on the power-play and the second period was back and forth after that. Hamden went on the power play somewhere before halfway but didn’t manage to get a single shot on goal. That must have inspired the Jesuits because David White Score courtesy of AJ Unker with 4:24 left in the period. Bill Riley got called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the goal so Prep immediately started their third power play of the game on the ensuing faceoff. They got a few shots and almost scored via an accidental deflection off of a Hamden player but ended up with no goals; Varga continued to play well. From there, the game was back and forth again but definitely more Prep than Hamden but Varga stayed strong making save after save, including one through a screen.
Then, in the third period, all the shots finally started paying off. Twenty-six seconds in, the Jesuits scored their second goal Unker and White assisting Connor Henry this time. However, Hamden cut that lead right in half twenty-four seconds later; Connor Walsh assisted by Mike Regan. From there each team had some more high quality opportunities to score like Unker had a shot that beat Varga but was just too high and Walsh made a centering pass to Mike Lee for Hamden but Lee didn’t get much on the shot and Wikman was able to save it. Varga made a spectacular glove save after that and then AJ Unker went down with an injury. Hamden start threatening with a pretty long possession in Prep’s zone that included some good shots on goal until the Jesuits were able to grab possession at the point leading to a two-on-one that turned into Prep’s thirs goal. Nick Bargiello played the scenario perfect by drawing the defender and goalie, getting a good pass to David White all the way across the net and White just put it home at the 8:49 mark of the third period to cap off the scoring. Fairfield Prep had a power play for the last 1:40 of the game but nothing came of it and that was the game.
In reference to my keys to the game, Wikman played absolutely phenomenal but I saw a lot of good for Hamden on offense. They were able to play physical and generate very good shots on goal that will certainly go in against other teams. Varga played extremely well too but he was up against the best offense in the state and only three shots got by him; he made Prep work hard for their goals. Another thing I really liked about the game as a whole was that the referees really let the players play and the players respected that as nothing ever got out of hand; great game all around!
#8 South Windsor 2 @ Conard 3
-Its hard enough to beat the same team twice, especially when its only two days later (these two teams just played on Monday; Conard 1 @ South Windsor 6) and the team is the Conard Chieftains, known for pulling off at least one upset a year, at home! Big blow to SW's stock and exactly what Conard needed to start rolling in their season; lets see if they can keep the momentum going.
#10 East Haven 4 @ #7 North Haven 3 OT
-A game that took overtime to decide but that didn't surprise me. East Haven's ability to come back and get the W confirmed why they were in my top ten and they will just keep rising. Since it was an OT loss, this doesn't hurt N Haven too much, but they better get back to winning soon and Friday at #3 Hamden would be a great time to do exactly that (a date at Hand next Wednesday is also on the schedule). It came in later and lacks goal times but here's the box score:
Goals
1st period: NH - Mike Andreucci. 2nd period: EH - Mike Falanga (Rich DeCarlo, Tristian Goodwin); NH - Jimmy Piscitelli; Mike Andreuuci (Jimmy Piscitelli). 3rd period: EH - Matt Longobardi (Rich DeCarlo); Brian Flanagan. OT: EH - Matt Longobardi (Mark Meyerholtz) 7:08.
Saves: EH - Zak Bouve 28; NH - Mike Amarone 35.
Shots: EH - 39; NH - 31.
Other games to watch:
Stamford 3 @ Staples-Weston-Shelton 4 OT
-Looks like I had an eye for good hockey when I featured this game as Stamford continues to be one of those teams that puzzles me. Lucky for me, but not other teams in the state, I don't have to play them on the ice! S-W-S did pull out the win though so they remain undefeated and keep pace with the others. The box score is right here:
Goals: S - Justin Nizolek, Billy Santora, Zack Fornacciari; SWS - Wyatt Fern 2, Sean Stewart, Forrest Savage.
Assists: S - Andrew Tuccinardi, Brian Palmer; SWS - Stewart 2, Liam O'Leary, Fern.
Saves: S - Hunter Alderman 29; SWS - Riley Macdonald 41.
Shots: S -44; SWS - 33.
Wethersfield 2 @ Rocky Hill/RHAM/Middletown 5
-The result says enough, Wethersfield played some really easy teams up in Maine.
Joel Barlow 3 @ Immaculate/New Fairfield 0
-It may not have been a quality opponent, but Barlow remains undefeated like ND-WH, S-W-S and East Haven (Easties have one tie though).
No comments:
Post a Comment