CANTLON: AVON OLD FARMS DEFEATS TAFT IN CT HS PREP SCHOOL HOCKEY 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

WATERTOWN, CT – The Avon Old Farms Winged Beavers consistent hard skating from the opening faceoff to the last whistle was a key factor in their 4-1 road victory over the Taft Rhinos at Odden Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Avon Old Farms struck quickly and early.

At 1:56 Paul Davey (Greenwich) tallied with assists from Brendan Williams (San Capistrano, CA) and John Turner (East Falmouth, MA).

Senior James Donaldson (Kirkland, Quebec) kept Taft in the game between the pipes making several key saves like one on Charles Leddy (Fairfield) from the right point.

Taft had a strong early chance in the second period to tie the game. Senior, Jack Adams, (Herndon, VA) saw his shot deflected by fellow senior, Henry Molson (Westmount, Quebec), but AOF junior goalie, Conor Gallaghan (Upper Saddle River, NJ), made the save.

AOF would score early in the second period and never looked back.

Brendan Williams was in front of the net and took a nice pass from behind the goalline from Davey and returned the favor on the first goal at 1:54 with John Turner again getting the second assist.

AOF tested Donaldson in every way, but he kept the red light off for most of the period.

Taft had two powerplays and couldn’t connect as Triston Fasig (Sherman, CT) was stopped at 8:53 and then Jackson Cook (Beaconsfield, Quebec) was rejected for a second time a few seconds later. Then Fasig at 12:10 was denied and solid defense by AOF was helpful in keeping Taft at bay.

On the first powerplay, Timothy Heinke (Kensington) landed a jarring hit to force the puck over and Taft off the puck and on the second powerplay a fine recovery effort and stick check from senior Ryan Shafer (Coppell,TX)  squashed the Taft opportunities.

AOF scored late that took the wind out of the Taft sails.

Senior Nicholas Cyrian (Aledo, TX) won the draw in the Taft zone got it back to Leddy whose shot was stopped

However, the rebound went right to Tyler Gordon (Avon,CT) who put it in at 13:54 and a 3-0 AOF lead.

Early in the third AOF had solid chances stopped. Junior Andrew Tsakounis (Arlington, VA) on a breakaway at 1:47 and Brendan Williams was stopped with a big glove save by Donaldson

The Winged Beavers would finally add another goal to make it 4-0. Williams earned his third point of the afternoon fed defenseman Nicholas Young (Raleigh, NC) pinching in and the quick reaction attempt to save by Donaldson saw it go off his glove and into the net at 7:45.

Young on a diagonal pass from the right point from Williams nearly scored again two minutes later.

AOF’s Mac (MacDonald) Gadowsky (State College, PA) son of Penn State (Big 10) head coach Guy Gadowsky had a solid bid denied by Donaldson.

Taft spoiled the shutout bid as Wesley Carbone (St. Louis, MO) put a shot that Henry Molson got a piece of, and was stopped, but the loose puck was to the left of the net and Triston Fasig flicked it in at 13:13.

AOF had two more quality chances before the game ended by Cyprian and Gordon was turned aside.

Avon Old Farms record improves to 9-1-0 and they will play at home in their next game at Jennings-Fairchild Rink at 3:15 pm Wednesday against Hotchkiss (Lakeville, CT).

Taft (4-8-0) play host to Gunnery (Washington, CT) Monday at 5:00pm

In the evening on the other side of the Taft Sports complex last year’s CT Division III champion co-op Lyman Hall/Haddam-Killingworth/Coginchaug (LHK) Trojans shutout co-op host Watertown-Pomperaug (Southbury) Indians 3-0 at Mays Arena scoring a goal in each period.

The game’s opening goal was also the game-winner as junior Aidan Weir with good speed came in on the left-wing and whistled a twenty-foot wrister by Watertown’s goalie sophomore Carly Bokina short-side for a 1-0 lead

Michael O’Toole, 6’3″, is normally a defenseman who is used as a forward on the powerplay. He redirected a point shot that went over shoulder of Bokina.

The cushion third goal came off the stick of Matt Pettit late in third ending Watertown’s hopes for a late rally.

LHK’s record is now 2-4-1 while Watertown slips to 2-6-0 and have lost four in a row.

Watertown next plays co-op WMRP (Wethersfield/Middletown/Plainville/Rocky Hill) at the Newington Arena (Blue Rink) on Wednesday at 7:00 PM while LHK play Guilford at the East Haven Memorial Rink on Wednesday at 4:15pm.

CT MINOR PRO AND COLLEGE PLAY

The AHL Hartford Wolf Pack were shutout for just second time this season on the road 3-0 in Wilkes Barre/Scranton.

Nicolas Roy scored the game’s game-winning goal for the Penguins late in the second period and the Penguins scored two empty-net goals 50 seconds apart late in the third.

The Wolf Pack maintain first place in the Atlantic Division two points ahead of Hershey 4-2 winners over Cleveland.

Bridgeport fell to Charlotte 5-2 as Max McCormick scored two for the Checkers.

UCONN had a 1-1 OT tie with the Providence College Friars at Schneider Arena as Ruslan Iskharov scored the lone UCONN goal as they held one of the nation’s best offenses at bay on the road.

-Hockey History Note: Tonight is the 45th anniversary of the first pro hockey game in Hartford hockey history when the WHA New England Whalers took on the San Diego Mariners at the Hartford Civic Center Memorial Coliseum (nee XL Center).

The perversion of the evening is the Carolina Hurricanes are wearing the Whalers green NHL jerseys again tonight in Raleigh, NC.

Its kinda like showing up in Rome at the Vatican wearing Satan costumes !!