Nighthawks Hockey Team Shakes Off Tough Loss With 3-2 Win

Newtown High School’s hockey team overcame a tough-to-swallow 5-4 overtime loss to Watertown-Pomeperaug at Danbury Ice Arena on December 23 by hanging on and nipping Norwalk-Brien McMahon 3-2 at Darien Ice Rink on December 28.

The Nighthawks built a 3-0 lead through the first two periods of play, on goals by Parker Rodbell, Christian Blais, and Ted Benoit, then held on to improve to 1-2 this campaign. The first and third NHS goals were unassisted, and the middle tally was set up by Alex Kelly and Hunter Dolyak. All three of Newtown’s goals came on the power play, and goaltender Mike Allwein was solid between the posts to earn the win.

Newtown came close in each of its first two games, especially the contest with Watertown-Pomperaug — the team’s first home game of the year. Trailing by two goals with a little more than a minute remaining, the Hawks didn’t give up, and fought back to force overtime.

Dolyak and Brett Klein scored 16 seconds apart in the final minute-plus, to force the extra period of hockey. Blais assisted on Dolyak’s tally with 1:18 remaining and also set up Klein’s OT-forcing net-finder with 1:02 to go. Brian Fay scored the decisive goal for Watertown-Pomperaug, with 47 seconds left in OT.

Newtown had overcome a 2-0 first-period deficit on goals by Dolyak and Blais, before the visitors claimed a 4-2 lead. Blais had three assists and recorded four points, and goaltender Allwein kicked aside 31 shots, making big saves in crucial times to keep the Nighthawks in the game.

The Hawks were scheduled to play New Milford on December 30 (after The Bee went to press). Following a game against Northwest Catholic (at Newington Arena) on January 3, the Hawks return to Danbury to battle Masuk of Monroe on January 5 at 5:30 pm.