Nighthawk Skaters Drop Two Close Games

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s hockey team dropped a pair of nail-biting 4-3 decisions this past week, falling to Joel Barlow of Redding on January 25 and the Brookfield-Bethel-Danbury (BBD) squad in overtime — both at Danbury Ice Arena.

The Nighthawks, who had beaten Barlow 8-1 in their previous meeting two weeks earlier, were without forward Christian Blais and defensemen Dan Harrison and Tyler Hanley in the rematch. “I thought the mental edge wasn’t there for us going into that one,” Newtown Coach Paul Esposito said.

Esposito added that he wasn’t surprised that Barlow, one of Newtown’s South-West Conference rivals, bounced back for a strong performance in the second meeting. Brett Klein, Ted Benoit, and Evan Isaacs all scored against Barlow. Hayden Savoia assisted two goals, and Benoit added an assist.

Against BBD, Kelly scored twice, including the game-tying tally with just 15 seconds to play to force OT. Klein also scored as NHS overcame a 2-0 deficit after one period and a 3-1 score in the third period, only to fall in extra time. Parker Rodbell, Blais, and Hanley all logged assists.

Esposito noted that the Nighthawks outshot BBD but didn’t get the bounces in their favor and that penalties cost NHS as BBD capitalized with a pair of power play goals.

The Nighthawks stood at 5-7 overall heading into Wednesday’s clash with Masuk of Monroe (after The Bee sports section went to press). Newtown, following a week off, is scheduled to play three games in as many days, beginning with a Wednesday, February 8, contest with New Milford at 8:50 pm at Danbury Ice Arena. Then comes a makeup game with nonconference team Briarcliff, N.Y., also in Danbury, February 9 at 7:50 pm. NHS will visit the Shepaug-Litchfield-Nonnewaug team at Linen Rink at the Gunnery School in Washington the next night.

The Nighthawks return to Danbury to host the Norwich Free Academy-St Bernard-Bacon Academy team on February 18.