Newtown High School’s hockey team skated to a 2-1 victory over host Joel Barlow of Redding, at Danbury Ice Arena, in the third annual Warrior Cup Game, on January 30. The South-West Conference rivals join forces to raise funds in support of the Wounded Warrior Project, and honor military members each season.

Scott McLean had both Newtown goals and goaltender Nicholas Chaloux earned the win between the pipes as the Nighthawks improved to 7-6 overall this campaign. Newtown beat Barlow 4-1 earlier this winter.

The Nighthawks were coming off a 5-2 loss to visiting Brookfield-Bethel-Danbury (BBD), also at Danbury Ice Arena, on January 27. Newtown fell behind 3-0 after two periods of play but continued to battle in the third period as Sean Ferris and David Brestovansky both scored. McLean had a hand in both goals of this game as well, assisting on each tally, and Devin Marsh and Brestovansky also had helpers. Chaloux stopped 17 shots.

Newtown narrowly missed on some chances to get on the scoreboard in the first two periods of the BBD tilt. Down 2-0 in the second period, the Hawks nearly cut the lead in half when McLean got his stick down on the ice to break up an outlet pass near the BBD blue line, setting himself up with a scoring chance. Later in the middle stanza, McLean redirected a shot from Ferris and the puck deflected to Lucas O’Brien, on the back door, but the Hawks couldn’t put the puck across the goal line.

Newtown plays its next two games on the road. After visiting EO Smith-Tolland, at the University of Connecticut Ice Rink in Storrs on Wednesday, February 3, beginning at 6:45 pm, the Hawks visit Trumbull High at The Rinks at Shelton on Saturday, February 6, starting at 6 pm. The next home contest is set for Wednesday, February 10, when Masuk of Monroe comes to Danbury for an 8:20 pm faceoff.

More information about Barlow’s and Newtown’s efforts is available on their Wounded Warrior Project fundraising webpage.