Newtown High School’s hockey team has been on a roll. The Nighthawks won their sixth straight game with a 4-1 triumph over Staples of Westport at Danbury Ice Arena on February 22.

Goaltender Markus Paltauf has stopped 172 of 180 shots faced during the winning streak. The Newtown netminder has posted a 1.33 goals against average and .951 save percentage, posted a shutout, and even gotten into the mix on the scoresheet with a trio of assists in this time. Paltauf, who broke the single-season saves mark with 567 last year, broke his own record in the team’s 5-2 win at Drury, Mass., on February 18. Paltauf, through the Staples contest, has 613 saves and counting.

James Celentano had two goals, and Matthias Paltauf and Phil Makris scored in the win over Staples. Tyler DiMartino, Adam Kliczewski, and Makris logged assists in the victory.

After Wednesday’s game with Amity of Woodbridge (5:30 pm at Danbury Ice Arena), the Nighthawks conclude the regular slate on Saturday, February 29, when Suffield-Granby-Windsor Locks visits Danbury Ice Arena at 7 pm — then it is on to the Southern Connecticut Conference/South-West Conference playoffs. Newtown is the fourth seed and will take on No. 1 Sheehan of Wallingford in the quarterfinals at Milford Ice Pavilion on Wednesday, March 4 (time to be determined).

Markus Paltauf made 57 saves in an 11-3 loss to Sheehan during the regular season. The individual game saves total is second in program history behind the 61 set by Mitch Bloomberg back in 2009.