The West Haven Mite A hockey team traveled to Hamden and did a great job moving the puck. JP Beebe and Jack Weiss led the scoring with two goals each, and Brayden Gagliardi, Gabriella Jenei, Maddy Bruder and Landon Alling also got on the scoreboard.
Quinn Uscilla and Austin Picard played great on both ends of the ice, with Uscilla contributing a pair of assists, and Picard also assisting on the goals. Ava Healy was a force between the posts.
The Westies then took on Rhode Island in the Newport Whalers Christmas Tournament, making it to the championship game.
The Westies defeated the SeaCoast Spartans 2015 Select in a come from behind win. Gagliardi, Weiss and Alling did most of the scoring on assists from Uscilla and Picard. Healy also got on the scoreboard. Two of Gagliardi’s four goals came in the last 30 seconds to clinch the win.
The Westies played the Newport Whalers to a tie. Jenei had a hat trick, and Uscilla, Gagliardi and Weiss also scored. Moriah Frost was clutch in goal and Beebe was a force on defense.
West Haven Mite A then handily defeated the Central Rhode Island Knights Mite A. The scoring was spread around with multiple Westies contributing, including Bruder, Picard, Gagliardi, Jenei and Weiss. Frost was once again unstoppable in goal.
West Haven then faced a strong Warwick Waves Mite A team in the championship game. The Westies had multiple shots on goal by Uscilla, Jenei, Gagliardi, Weiss, Alling and Picard, but couldn’t convert. Despite goals by Bruder and Picard, and strong defense by Beebe and Weiss, the Westies fell short.
The West Haven Mite A hockey team welcomed the Avon Mite A team with a scoring bonanza. Picard was hard to stop, scoring multiple goals, while Gagliardi, Jenei and Beebe also scored with assists from Weiss, Beebe, and Uscilla.
On the other end, Bruder and Alling played solid defense in front of Healy in goal.
The Westies continued their great play against Mid Fairfield 2015. In goal, Healy kept her hot streak going, shutting down multiple Mid Fairfield shots.
Helping Healy with some solid defense and great puck movement were Beebe and Picard, who continued to be a force on both ends of the ice.
Bruder turned her good defense into offense, scoring two goals, one on an assist from Jenei. Jenei also put one in the back of the net on a breakaway.
Uscilla assisted a Gagliardi goal and also contributed on the scoreboard, by converting solid defense into a breakaway goal. Alling scored by crashing the net following behind a slippery Weiss. Every Westie was critical in this great game.
The West Haven Mite B hockey team traveled to Rhode Island for the Newport Christmas Classic Tournament. In the first game, the Westies took on Barnstable 8u from Barnstable, MA.
Leading the offensive effort were Blake Bova, Chase Liston, and Luke Salkins. Callen Tagliatela played a strong game in net, making numerous clutch saves during the contest.
Maddy Demayo provided tough defense for the Westies, helping to turn away the Barnstable attack throughout the entire game. Parker Vitelli played a great game as well, making good plays on both ends of the ice.
In the second game, the Mite B’s battled against the New Jersey Colonials of Morristown, NJ. In what was an intense game, the Westies were led by Rylan Jacob in net.
Bova, Salkins, and Liston again turned in strong offensive games, with each lighting the lamp. Dean Azano also scored, while Tagliatela played with great hustle in the contest and helped set up multiple shots for Azano and Liston.
In the third game, the Westies took on the Newport Whalers Blue. The Westie sticks were on fire and Vitelli also was lights out in goal. Azano, Bova, Salkins, and Liston each scored multiple goals.
Darcy Jacob lit the lamp as well for her first goal of the season. Rylan Jacob added an additional goal as a result of battling in front of the net, and Tagliatela also scored an impressive goal, hammering home a rebound in the Westie victory.
Returning home, the Westies hosted Ridgefield Mite B. In what was a spirited effort by the Westies, Liston got the Westies on the board with an early goal. Salkins and Azano scored additional goals. Tagliatela and Bova each turned in multiple shots on net, while also making several crisp passes to set up additional shots.
Darcy Jacob was in net and made many saves to limit the Ridgefield attack. Demayo contributed strong defense for the entire game.
The West Haven Mite B hockey team hosted Wonderland 8u Blue at Bennett Rink. In a high-scoring affair, Liston paced the Westies with five goals, Bova and Salkins each contributed multiple goals, while Demayo tallied an additional goal with hard work in front of the net.
Azano played a strong game in goal for the Westies, turning away many Wonderland shots. Rylan Jacob and Vitelli played strong defense, with Vitelli delivering multiple crisp passes to set up his teammates’ goals.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.