The Newtown-New Fairfield (NNF) High School hockey team took on teams from three states during the first week of February. It culminated with a 4-2 loss to Masuk of Monroe at Danbury Ice Arena on February 7; the Nighthawks fell to 1-15 this winter. This Hockey Fights Cancer game was held in honor of Andrew Tammero, a former Nighthawks coach and Newtown Middle School Health Teacher who was recently diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma.

Generous attendees raised $1,800 to be donated towards the care and family needs of Tammero, who is fighting a courageous battle.

Wearing game sweaters that read Hope, Strength and Courage on their backs, the Hawks put up a good fight early before falling later in the game. Vince Schuchat got things started taking a nice cross ice pass from Luca Moura and one timing the first goal of the game. Masuk got even roughly six minutes later rifling one just under the cross bar from the high slot. The game was tied 1-1 in the second period when Masuk started to pull away, first taking the lead after a poor backcheck by the home team and then capitalizing on a broken play in front leading to a mismatch that Goalie Carter Bisson just missed past an extended pad.

The Hawks responded, however, with some good pressure by Jack Meade leading to Sandy Maselli’s first varsity goal when she slipped one through a sprawled Panther goaltender from in front. Both Meade and D man Evan Kliczewski assisted on the play. The score remained that way until about the midway point of the final period when a defensive giveaway led to another Panther goal and a two-tally advantage.

NNF tried to get even and pulled their goaltender with two minutes remaining but was unable to find the back of the net. Ryan Schmidt played well in the loss, setting a nice tone with solid physical play and smart decisions throughout. Bisson was strong in all three periods making a number of difficult saves and keeping the contest within reach for his teammates.

Before the Masuk game the Hawks had their Senior Day contest when Taconic of Massachusetts came to Danbury on February 1 and handed NNF a tough 1-0 loss. The Nighthawks celebrated captain Moura, assistant captain Quinn Harris, and goalie Kaylee Awrachow. From the New Fairfield side, captain Patrick Moody, assistant captain Andrew Sanchez, Attila Balla, Antonio DiBiase, and Schuchat were honored.

The excited seniors came out and played hard leading to an electric atmosphere as the game was scoreless through two periods. Awrachow made several quality saves in the first two frames looking to help her teammates end a prolonged losing streak. Schuchat was particularly active on the offensive side of the ice putting five shots on the Taconic net but failing to light the lamp. Unfortunately for the Hawks, a poor backcheck while on the power play led to a shorthanded goal by a Taconic player who slid down the wall entering the zone, cut in, and blasted one by the well-positioned Awrachow.

One could almost feel the air come out of the balloon as NNF tried to regroup and rally but while pressing hard to add the equalizer the Hawks fell short, and Taconic added two late goals and skated back up Route 7 with a 3-0 victory. For the seniors, a memorable day with a less than preferred outcome. Awrachow played well in taking the loss, making 19 saves.

The Hawks hosted Fox Lane of Bedford, N.Y. on February 5 and lost 3-2 despite playing their opponents tough. The team continues to play hard but due to a combination of things has lacked consistency throughout, leading to little mistakes that reflect in the current outcomes. Against Fox, NNF took the early lead just 19 seconds in when Harris fed a perfect pass cross ice to Schuchat who popped one past the outstretched pad of Fox’s goalkeeper.

Three minutes later, it was Fox Lane with the answer knocking home a rebound shot from in front after a solid stop by junior Carter Bisson. After the halfway point in the period Moura picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and raced down the left side to enter the attack zone; he let one rip that caught net just inside the right post for the lead on the unassisted effort.

Just over three minutes later it was Fox Lane with a tip-in goal with heavy traffic in front of Bisson to tie the game. The score remained that way as the first period closed and through the second as both teams traded opportunities with Fox Lane getting more quality chances but Bisson playing big and turning them back. The NNF youngster line of Mike Risoli, Greyson Pimentel, and Cam Longhi had the best chance of the second when Longhi almost banged one home from the doorstep after some excellent forechecking by the trio.

The third period brought about the lone penalty in the game against NNF and although the Hawks killed it off, Fox Lane took its first lead just six seconds after the penalty expired, scoring with Bisson fighting off a screen and unable to get a good look at the incoming shot. With two minutes remaining the Hawks pulled the goalie for the extra attacker but were unable to muster the equalizer.

The group has remained mostly positive and has been close the last few outings but cannot seem to find any puck luck this year.