NHS Skaters Score Six In Third Period, Win Second Of Year
NHS Skaters Score Six In Third Period, Win Second Of Year
By Andy Hutchison
The Newtown High School hockey team jumped into the fire with a tough season-opening game at Division I East Haven on December 18. The D-III Nighthawks held their own in a 5-0 loss behind the efforts of goaltender Mitch Bloomberg who kicked aside 37 shots. Newtownâs penalty kill was strong and denied East Haven on a pair of 5-on-3 man advantages.
The Nighthawks have since won two of three games, including a 7-3 win over the Bolton-Coventry-Lyman Memorial tri-team which was made possible by a six-goal third period on Tuesday. NHS carries a 2-2 record into the New Year.
NHS evened its record with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Shelton at Danbury Ice Arena on December 20. Christian Beitel and Josh Branchflower both scored once and assisted on two netfinders. Hunter Dolyak added a goal and an assist, David Landau scored and Tucker Grose had a pair of assists. Dylan Deselin manned the goal and came up with 29 saves for the win.
In their third game of the season, Newtown traveled to Newington to face Rocky Hill and carried a 2-1 lead into the second period, and was tied 2-2 heading into the third before Rocky Hill scored four times in the final stanza to pull away for a 6-3 win. The Nighthawks got goals from Branchflower, who scored twice, and Grose. Ted Benoit, Matt Vitti and Dolyak all had assists. Bloomberg notched 34 saves.
The Nighthawks changed their third period fortunes this past Tuesday afternoon in a comeback win over the Bolton-Coventry-Lyman Memorial tri-team at the Bolton Ice Palace. Newtown trailed 3-1 heading into the third period before erupting for six goals. The Hawks started the final period with a 5-on-3 power play and cashed in with two man advantage goals to knot the score and set the tone for the final 15 minutes.
Beitel netted four of his teamâs third period tallies. He had a natural hat-trick, netting three unanswered goals of his own. Branchflower added two goals and Sean Kennedy scored the other Newtown lamp-lighter. Mike Poeltl, Grose and Dolyak all had two assists and Brandon Logel, David Landau and Rocco Guaragno each had one. Deselin made 19 saves and had an assist.
Newtown visits the Windsor-East Granby co-op team on Saturday, the third of six straight road games before returning to its home ice in Danbury for a January 17 clash with Hall-Southington.
Head Coach Paul Esposito said he is pleased with his teamâs start but that there is room for improvement and hopes the Hawks continue to play as they did in the third period of Tuesdayâs 7-3 win.