Hockey Team Bounces Back From Overtime Loss For OT Win

By Andy Hutchison

You win some – you lose some. Or, in the case of the Newtown High School boys’ hockey team this past week, you lose one in overtime — you win one in overtime.

The Nighthawks found themselves on both ends of thrilling/heart-breaking outcomes. They fought back from a 3-1 deficit to force overtime before falling 4-3 to host Guilford at East Haven Ice Rink on January 5. Newtown got a taste of sudden-death victory as it rebounded for a 2-1 OT win over visiting E.O. Smith-Tolland-Windham at Danbury Ice Arena on January 7.

In the Guilford game, Evan Isaacs notched two goals, including a game-tying tally with just 35 seconds remaining in regulation, with Newtown’s goaltender pulled for the sixth attacker, to force extra play. Isaacs was assisted by Chris Erikson and Christian Blais on his first tally. After Guilford built a 3-1 lead through two periods of play, Hayden Savoia got Newtown within a goal on a net-finder set up by Tyler Hanley. Matt Sabia assisted Isaacs’ second goal.

Newtown goaltender Mike Allwein made 39 saves and, with the help of a strong defensive effort, kept the Nighthawks in the game, Newtown Coach Paul Esposito said. The Newtown coach added that his team expected a fast-paced game because of having played Guilford, non-South-West Conference Division II opponent, last winter. The coach said his team wasn’t prepared for the physical play in a game that he called “chippy, to say the least.” Several Newtown skaters were banged up in the contest, and Blais missed the next game with an undisclosed injury.

Esposito was pleased with the play of Sabia, a defenseman, who brought a solid two-way game to the ice by contributing on the offensive end with an assist. Allwein did his part with those 39 stops, and the defense forced many of those shots from the outside. Guilford improved to 4-1, and Esposito was happy with the way his team battled back against a strong opponent.

Newtown, in its next game, found a way to pull out an overtime victory, overcoming a late-game equalizer by E.O. Smith-Tolland-Windham, a D-III opponent. Zach Waller’s second-period goal, assisted by Alex Kelly and Savoia during four-on-four play, gave Newtown the lead. In overtime, Kelly set up Brett Klein with the winner. Newtown’s defense limited the opposition to just 19 shots and Allwein kicked away all but one for the win.

“After Thursday night I think their legs were still pretty tired,” said Esposito, adding that the coaches took it easy on the players in Friday’s practice. “We weren’t at our best. A win’s a win, but we really weren’t happy with how we played in that game.”

Newtown improved to 4-3 overall heading into Wednesday’s clash with Joel Barlow at Danbury Ice Arena (after The Bee sports section went to press). The Nighthawks will travel to South Kent to visit New Milford on Saturday, January 14. After visiting East Catholic in Cromwell on January 16, Newtown returns to Danbury to entertain Briarcliff, N.Y., at 8:50 pm on January 19.

The Nighthawks invite youth hockey players to skate with them during a free hockey clinic at Danbury Ice Arena from 7:10-8:10 pm on Sunday, January 15. Visit www.newtownhockey.com for details.