Jr Colonials Pee Wee A Skaters Win Twice

The Western Connecticut Jr Colonials Pee Wee A hockey team started its preparation for the Connecticut Hockey Conference playoffs by sweeping two teams from Brewster, NY this past weekend.

On Saturday, the Jr Colonials faced off against the Brewster Bulldogs and came away with a hard-fought 3-0 victory. Forward Frank Haklits scored an unassisted goal to open the scoring. Then, an all-Newtown line struck paydirt when center Hayden Savoia won a faceoff to the left of the Bulldogs’ net. Right winger Justin Corsello passed the puck to Dan Harrison who one-timed a wrist shot into the twine. Newtown defenseman Owen Sandercox capped the scoring with a blast from the left point that hit the glove of the Bulldogs’ goalie before making it into the net.

Newtown goalie Patrick McLoughlin was sharp throughout the game and earned his fifth shutout of the season.

On Sunday, the Jr Colonials beat the Brewster Blackhawks in a game that was very close until an unusual turning point occurred in the second period, leading to a 6-1 win. The Jr Colonials had a 1-0 lead after the first period by way of a Harrison goal (assisted by Savoia and Matt Hooker). In the second period, Justin Corsello sent a long, tape-to-tape, cross ice pass to Steven Almeida streaking down the left wing. Almeida then buried a breakaway goal for a 2-0 lead. The Blackhawks scored a power-play goal that should have gotten them back into the game, but instead ended up igniting a barrage of Jr Colonials’ goals. After the goal, the Blackhawks’ scorer, according to a Jr Colonials team representative, taunted the Jr Colonials with a victory dance.

The Jr Colonials responded by raising their energy level. The Jr Colonials scored on the next shift when Almeida found Haklits for a 3-1 lead. They continued the onslaught in third period, when Tyler Trombetta, playing his most dominating game of the year, blistered a rolling puck past into the net. Liam Smith earned the assist.

Haklits continued his impressive scoring spree with a goal from in close off of an Almeida pass. Trombetta then took another feed from Smith, cut in front of the net and fooled the opposing goalie with a backhanded shot.

The Jr Colonials face Central Connecticut and Northwestern Connecticut this coming weekend in the march towards the CHC playoffs.