The West Haven Mite A travel hockey team is going into the holiday break with three straight wins.
The first win came in an away game at Newington against the Chiefs. Jax Guarino led the scoring, with Brady Salkins and Logan Minio putting the puck into the back of the net as well. Cooper Owens played a strong game on defense in the win.
The win against the Chiefs gave the Westies confidence going into their next game against a strong Southern Stars squad. The Stars jumped to an early lead, but the Westies soon equalized behind a Jameson Eid goal. Minio picked up the hat trick, and Salkins added two goals of his own.
The Blue Devils went ahead on a beautiful team goal when Ben Trenchard won the puck on defense and passed it up the boards to Eid, who then made a quick pass to Salkins in the center. Salkins beat two defenders, and then made a beautiful pass to Henry Seslar in front of the net. Seslar hit a well-timed shot to put the Westies up, and they were able to hold on to the lead after a flurry in front of their goal in which Jameson Schempp made several key stops to preserve the win.
The last game in the trio of wins came away to Northwest at South Kent last Sunday. Salkins and Logan Minio again led the scoring, with Jax Guarino and Seslar both netting goals as well.
Caden Minio played great on the wing, working up and down the ice, and Eid picked up an assist. Cooper Owens and Trenchard were once again solid on defense, and Jameson Schempp picked up the win, allowing only one goal in the process.
The West Haven Mite C hockey team faced Watertown at Bennet Rink. Abby Hemming was in net for the Blue Devils and she made many great saves.
During the match up, multiple goals were scored by Landon Alling and Carter Liston. Additionally, JP Beebe, Caleb Ford and Sarah Mastroni each had a goal during the game.
Other shots on net were contributed by Emmet Hemming and Kiera Harrison. Jackson Ford played excellent defense for the Blue Devils.
West Haven had two away games this weekend. Saturday, the Mite C’s traveled to Newington to take on the Chiefs Mini Mites.
During this match up, multiple goals were scored by Beebe and Liston. Alling, Caleb Ford, Harrison and Emmet Hemming also each contributed a goal for the Blue Devils. Mastroni and Abby Hemming also had shots on net and Jackson Ford played as goalie.
On Sunday, the Mite C’s headed to Milford to play Southern CT. Beebe had two goals during the game, with Liston and Abby Hemming also scoring for the Blue Devils.
Other shots on goal were made by Emmet Hemming, Alling, Ford and Mastroni, while blocked shots and great defense was also played by Ford and Kiera Harrison. Jackson Ford played goalie again for the Blue Devils, making many excellent saves.
The West Haven Squirt AA travel hockey team returned to play last weekend and posted two wins.
The Westies travelled to Northford and Quinn Smith had 9 saves as the Westies shut out the Yale 2011 Squirt AA 13-0. The Westies received team wide contributions.
Sophie Digioia netted four goals and Rocco Kelly posted a hat trick and five assists. Charlie Gunning and Andrew Lacasse each had two goals, Colby Cushing and Owen Santos each contributed one goal, and Jaxon Troyer had three assists in the win.
The Westies returned home Sunday and notched a hard fought 2-1 win over Ridgefield AA. Digioia buried both goals, while Jeremiah McGrath and Peyton Burlepsch created many chances in the offensive zone.
Smith had 15 saves in the win. The Westies received strong defensive games in front of Smith by AJ Farrell, Stella Porto, and Cody Young.
West Haven split a part of games this weekend. The Westies traveled to Bridgeport and dropped a 3-1 contest to the Wonderland Wizard AA. Digioia accounted for the lone West Haven goal. Smith had 14 saves in net for the Westies. The Westies received solid defensive play from AJ Farrell and Young.
The Westies bounced back Sunday as Andrew Lacasse and Gunning each posted hat tricks to lead the team to an 11-3 win over Central AA. Digioia netted two goals, including one bar-down snipe. Rocco Kelly, Colby Cushing and Troyer each added a goal. Burlepsch had an assist for the Westies. Smith notched 11 saves for the win.
The West Haven Bantam A travel hockey team shut out Simsbury A1, 5-0, on Saturday at the Edward L. Bennett Rink. Trevor Cathey led the way by making 21 saves in net for the Westies. The Blue Devils are now 19-6-4 overall and 16-3-4 in CHC play.
The Westies opened the scoring with a power play goal in the first period. Parker Guarnieri flipped a breakout pass to Theo Diakomis, who sped in and ripped a low shot. Sean Studley banged in the rebound for a 1-0 lead. The Blue Devils killed off a 5-on-3 at the end of the period.
Gio Ferrucci won a faceoff back to Brody Elam who zipped in a rising one-timer, making it 2-0 1:11 into the second. Leo Mazuroski then flipped in a shot over the goalie from the top of the left circle in the final minute of the period.
Alex Bowery scored a pair of goals in the third period. The first came on a power play when Zach Melchiore slid a pass out from behind the net for a one-timer. The final tally came when Bowery cashed in a breakaway with a sweet deke of the goalie with just over a minute to play.
The West Haven split a weekend home-and-home with Wonderland A1. Both teams posted 3-1 victories on their home ice. The Blue Devils are now 20-7-4 overall and 17-4-4 in CHC play going into the holiday break.
On Saturday afternoon at the Edward L. Bennett Rink, the Westies took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Brody Elam started a breakout. He found Diakomis, who carried the puck into the offensive zone and slid it to Studley for a one-timer. The Wizards tied the game later in the period.
Westies’ goaltender Cathey made back-to-back pad saves on a Wonderland power play to keep the score tied early in the second period. Joey DiGioia kept the puck in the zone a short time later and circled down deep. He slid a pass through the crease and Melchiore jammed it into the back of the net. Later in the period, Elam kept the puck in, chipped it to Ferrucci, and he snapped in a wrist shot for a 3-1 lead.
Cathey stoned a breakaway with a glove save with 2:45 to play in the game to preserve the two-goal lead. The Westies’ defense held the lead and secured the 3-1 win.
On Sunday at the Wonderland of Ice, the Blue Devils skated with a short bench due to injuries. The Wizards took a 1-0 lead in the opening period.
In the second the Westies tied the game when DiGioia skated down the right side and fired toward the net. Studley neatly redirected the puck to the top corner to make it 1-1.
The team’s battled throughout the second period and deep into the third. Cathey was solid in net and made several clutch saves. The home team broke through with a power play goal with 3:38 to play and added the last goal with a minute to go for the win.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.