Playing in the Southern Connecticut Conference playoffs for the first time in recent memory, the West Haven boys hockey team was looking to make a statement. That statement was made in the opening period, but it could not be sustained.
Behind five unanswered goals, top-seeded Cheshire defeated No. 4 West Haven 5-2 in the SCC semifinals at the Edward L. Bennett Rink.
The Westies came out on fire in the opening period and took a 2-0 lead after one period of play. After a two-on-one with Mike Madera and Jayden Spreyer was denied, the Westies capitalized less than a minute later when Spreyer scored a power play goal off assists from Thomas Porto and Brody DiNuzzo 5:51 into the game for a 1-0 lead.
Holding a 10-7 shot advantage in the first period, West Haven increased the lead to a pair of goals when Marcus Burrows took a pass from Brady Price and scored with 6:14 left in the opening period. Justin Bruno also had an assist on the goal.
West Haven held the lead for the first nine minutes of the second before Cheshire defenseman Keegan Grace’s score with six minutes to go in the middle period.
The Rams then stole the momentum and used a power play goal by Evan Vasiljevs to even the game at two with 3:48 left in the second.
West Haven had a chance to take the lead again, but Madera was denied on a partial break with 50 seconds remaining in the period.
Price and Spreyer were denied one minute apart in the third, and Cheshire took the lead for good when Drew DePodesta scored 3:15 in.
The Rams scored an insurance goal with 3:16 remaining and added an empty net tally with 53 seconds remaining.
Javed Ullah finished with 31 saves in the game for the Westies.
With a chance to qualify for the SCC/SWC tournament, the West Haven boys hockey team had plenty of shots. They just did not go in.
Despite putting 37 shots on goal, the Westies could only bury one in a 2-1 loss against Watertown/Pomperaug at the Edward L. Bennett Rink.
Matt Rasile was solid in his first start of the season, making 26 saves to keep West Haven in striking distance.
The Westies (12-7) controlled play early in the game, but Madera was denied 1:10 in from in front, Burrows was turned away on a breakaway 37 seconds later, and Theo Diakomis was turned away with a pad save with 9:12 left in the opening period.
Watertown took a 1-0 lead with a short-handed goal off a faceoff with 31 seconds remaining in the opening period.
The Westies evened the game with a shorthanded goal of their own 4:01 into the second period when Bruno blocked a shot to send Burrows in for a breakaway goal.
After Spreyer was denied in the slot with 9:05 remaining in the middle period, a West Haven turnover led to a breakaway goal for Watertown and a 2-1 deficit.
In the last regular season game of the season, West Haven had so many things to ponder. Postseason bids and seedings had different possibilities based on outcomes of different games.
The Westies put all that aside in a Senior Night contest against Amity.
Behind two goals and two assists from Madera, one goal and two assists from Porto, and two assists from Spreyer, West Haven topped Amity, 4-3, at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.
Madera’s second goal of the game with 31.5 seconds remaining in regulation proved to be the difference and sent the Westies to the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament. The loss for Amity was the first since early January.
There are times in a championship game that go down as defining moments. For the Hamden girls hockey team, they found that moment late in the second period.
Lexy Patel’s short-handed goal broke a tie and helped lead the Green Dragons to a 3-1 victory over West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy in the Southern Connecticut Conference championship at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven Friday evening.
Hamden won its first SCC title and avenged a double overtime loss to the Westie Sharks from one year ago. West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy had defeated Hamden twice before in league championship contests.
West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy knew the stakes at hand. Win in the Southern Connecticut Conference semifinals or the season was over.
Not qualifying for the state tournament, the Westie Sharks were playing with a win or go home mentality. They were not going to go home.
Azzarone’s goal with 3:17 left in regulation off an assist from Julianna Montano sent the Westie Sharks to a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Amity/North Haven/Cheshire in the SCC semifinals at Hamden.
Azzarone’s goal capped a solid game for West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy. Twarowski made 28 saves, including 11 in the final period when the Westie Sharks were outshot 11-6.
West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Heather Fonda scored off assists from Gonzalez and Welch at the 6:43 mark.
Amity/North Haven/Cheshire evened the game in the second period, before Azzarone’s third period heroics sealed the victory.
The West Haven boys basketball team started its postseason run in impressive fashion. With a stifling defense, the Westies topped Career 57-41 in the opening round of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament at West Haven High Thursday evening.
Michael Singleton led the way with 17 points and six assists, Ethan Griffin had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, Bernett Scott had 12 points and five rebounds, and Isaiah Jackson added 12 rebounds and four points in the win.
The Westies led only 7-5 after one quarter on two field goals by Scott and a 3-pointer by Jackson, but a 19-10 second quarter run led the Westies to a 26-15 halftime lead. Singleton led the way in the quarter with 12 points.
West Haven extended the margin to 40-23 in the third quarter as seven different players scored, led by five from Aaron Johnson.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.