The West Haven Mite A travel team played in the Mite State Jamboree last Saturday, going 4-2-1 in a day of competitive games.
The Blue Devils opened the day with a 1-0 win over CT Elite. Jax Guarino scored the lone goal off a nice one-timer set-up by Logan Minio. Jameson Schempp was stellar in goal, making a few big saves down the stretch to preserve the win.
The pair combined again in game two, this time Guarino setting up Minio for the goal in a 1-0 win over Central. Cooper Owens played strong defense to help keep the shutout.
The Westies tied the undefeated CT Chiefs in the third game. Down 1-0 with under a minute to play, Ben Trenchard broke up a Chiefs attack and got the puck up to Minio. Minio skated along the boards before cutting in to set up Brady Salkins for the tying goal as seconds ticked away.
The Westies fell 1-0 in game four to the Yale Mite A team. Schempp again came up with some big saves, but the Westies could not find the back of the net, despite the hard work of Caden Minio, Jameson Eid, and Henry Seslar.
The Blue Devils bounced back in their next game, taking it to Wallingford and winning 3-0. Guarino and Salkins both found the back of the net again, as did Logan Minio, getting the assist on his goal from Caden Minio.
The boys finished the day strong, defeating Ridgefield in the final game, 6-2. Trenchard and Owens once again anchored the defense, as Guarino picked up the hat trick. Seslar banged one home, getting set up by Salkins. Logan Minio added the other two goals, and Schempp was once again solid in net for the Westies.
The West Haven Mite A travel hockey team was back in action this past weekend, playing against the Wonderland Wizards Mite A squad. The Wizards won the contest 12-7, but the young Westies gave them a tough game.
Logan Minio led the scoring, picking up assists from Guarino and Caden Minio. Guarino added two goals of his own, with Logan Minio assisting him. Salkins rounded out the scoring, getting the pass from Trenchard.
Trenchard and Cooper Owens both played well defensively, and Jameson Eid and Seslar put in a lot of hustle on the wings to get up and down the rink. Jameson Schempp continued his impressive run of form in goal, making several huge saves throughout the game.
The West Haven Mite C hockey team took on the Milford Mud Hounds at Bennett Rink. Multiple goals were scored by JP Beebe, Carter Liston, Landon Alling, Emmet Hemming, Sarah Mastroni and Caleb Ford. In addition, a goal was contributed by Jackson Ford, while several shots on net were made by Abby Hemming. Making her debut in net for the Blue Devils was Kiera Harrison, and she made many great saves.
The Mite C’s took on the Chiefs Mini Mites on Sunday at Newington Arena. Playing goalie for the Blue Devils was Emmet Hemming, also making his debut and making many great saves.
Multiple goals were scored by Carter Liston, Beebe, Mastroni, Jackson Ford and Abby Hemming. Additionally, a goal was scored by Alling and several shots on goal were made by Kiera Hemming and Caleb Ford.
The West Haven Squirt A travel hockey team participated in the Connecticut Hockey Conference State Tournament in Shelton this past weekend. The team went 4-0 against their opposition to gain the Nutmeg Division title.
In the championship game, the Westies downed New Canaan, 2-1, to capture the title. Colton Bruneau opened the scoring with an unassisted goal with two minutes left in the first period, jamming in a loose puck from the crease. West Haven held a 1-0 lead deep into the second period, until New Canaan scored on a breakaway to tie the game with 2:53 left.
The tie did not last long as Logan Stackpole was able to find the puck in the crowd, took off into the offensive zone and sniped a quick shot that ended up in the back of the net to give the Westies a 2-1 lead. Nikolas Scalice had a blockbuster game between the pipes with a double-digit save count, holding New Canaan to the one goal. Bruneau received player of the tournament racking up six points across the four-game stretch.
On Saturday, the Westies played a doubleheader. The first game was against the Riverhawks, and Logan Stackpole scored two goals in the game, each assisted by Colin Whelan. Rounding out the scoring to give the Westies a 5-1 victory was Bruneau with a hat trick, one of which was an assist by Stackpole. Forwards Kyle D’Agostino and JJ Charbonneau worked hard along the boards to keep control of the puck in the neutral zone in both games.
In the second game of the day, the Westies played the Southern CT Stars, ending with a 5-1 victory. Leading off the scoring was Dane Walsh, going top shelf with an unassisted goal in the first period. In the second period, Stackpole score an unassisted goal followed by defenseman Conner Owens who launched a rocket from the blue line. Stackpole would go on to score a second goal in the third period off an assist from Whelan, and rounding out the scoring was Walsh with another unassisted goal. Anthony Parise also had a strong game with a few breakaways to move the puck up the ice for the Westies. Goaltender Evan Harrison was a brick wall in the game, shutting down Southern’ s scoring efforts.
In the opening game of the tournament, the Westies played a very physical game against New Canaan. Colton Bruneau scored the first goal of the game off an assist from defenseman Holden Napoletano. Dane Walsh went top shelf to score in the second period, and defenseman Ryan Schempp sniped a shot from the point off a quick pass from Bruneau on a Westie power play.
Overall, the Westies only had four goals scored against them in the tournament. The outstanding efforts of the West Haven defense of Ryan Schempp, Conner Owens, Kyle Johnson, and Joseph Mondo shut down their opponent’s offense with a solid and consistent effort in every game.
Crisp passing, a masterful neutral zone reset strategy, and a strong backchecking effort were the keys to success for the young Westies. The goaltending duo of Nik Scalice and Evan Harrison, who split time between the net, each had double digit save counts in the tournament.
The West Haven Youth Hockey Squirt AA team notched two wins and a tie over last two weeks.
The Westies were able to play at the Peoples United Center on the campus of Quinnipiac University and Quinn Smith stole the show in net by posting a 1-0 shutout with 22 saves over the Mid Fairfield Rangers AA.
Andrew Lacasse buried a pass form Rocco Kelly to account for the only goal. AJ Farrell, Cody Young, Owen Santos, and Stella Porto led the defensive efforts in front of Smith.
The Westies tied the Mid Fairfield Rangers AA 2-2 in West Haven. Charlie Gunning and Dylan Spreyer found the back of the net for the Westies. Smith notched 17 saves in the contest.
The Westies travelled to Stanford and came away with a 5-4 win over the Connecticut Junior Rangers Elite. Lacasse opened the scoring on a pass from Jeremiah McGrath, and Digioia evened the score on a pass from Jaxon Troyer.
After falling behind a goal, Digioia buried a pass from Gunning to tie it. Digioia then added an unassisted goal, before Lacasse broke free and buried the game winner on a 5-on-3 shorthanded penalty kill. Smith turned in another stellar performance in net with 19 saves for the win.
The West Haven Bantam A hockey team split a pair of games last Saturday as it prepares for the upcoming state tournament. The Blue Devils dropped a tight, 2-1 decision to Avon and then rebounded with a 6-3 win over Darien. The Westies’ overall record is now 25-10-5.
On Saturday morning at Edward L. Bennett Rink, the Westies hosted Avon A. The Blue Devils took an early 1-0 lead with a power play goal. Sean Studley hit Alex Bowery streaking down the slot and Bowery buried his wrist shot. Avon tied it at 1-1 in the final minute of the first period.
Neither team scored in the second period as Trevor Cathey made several clutch saves for the Westies in the period. Avon finally broke through with 58 seconds left in the game to pull out the 2-1 win.
Later on Saturday night, the Blue Devils went to Stamford Twin Rinks to face Darien A. West Haven took an early 1-0 lead when MacNiven fired from the blue line and Gio Ferrucci banged in the rebound 3:30 into the game.
Tied at one, the Westies took over the game in the second. Studley found Ferrucci barreling down the slot and he wristed it home. Theo Diakomis battled behind the net and found Matt Molnar, who whipped the puck out front where Zach Melchiore swept it in.
The Westies made it 4-1 in the final minute with a 5-on-3 tally. Joey DiGioia quickly passed to Brody Elam who skated it in and ripped a laser through the five-hole.
Ahead 4-3, Studley got the momentum back when he picked up the puck in Darien’s zone, juked a defenseman, and slid it to Bowery who buried his wrist shot. DiGioia added an empty net goal in the final minute for the 6-3 win. Cathey was solid again in goal.
West Haven dropped a 3-2 decision to CT Junior Rangers 2008 AAA in the team’s final tune-up before the state tournament. The Blue Devils, 25-11-5 overall, will be competing for a Tier 3 championship next week.
On Saturday morning at Edward L. Bennett Rink, the Westies grabbed the lead with 1:47 left in the first. On the power play, Parker Guarnieri slid a pass to Leo Mazuroski just inside the blue line and the defenseman fired a laser beam making it 1-0.
The Rangers scored late in the second and twice more in the third period to take a 3-1 lead. In the game’s final minute, the Westies were on a two-man advantage and pulled the goalie.
Ferrucci worked the puck off the boards behind the net and found Studley in the slot and he buried it, making it a one-goal game.
The Westies could not find the equalizer in the final moments. Cathey was strong in net for the Blue Devils.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.