The West Haven Mite A travel hockey team opened the season with a big game over the Hamden Dragons on Opening Weekend at the Edward L. Bennett Rink.
Brady Salkins scored the opening goal, after Ben Trenchard stripped the puck of a Hamden forward and released Salkins into open ice with a nice pass.
Trenchard continued his strong game on defense, and was joined by Cooper Owens. Jameson Schempp was strong in goal, making a few big saves early on to keep the Westies in the game.
Logan Minio and Jax Guarino established a strong connection, each setting up the other and each scoring. Henry Seslar also put the puck in the back of the net, while Jameson Eid and Caden Minio each had a strong game as well.
The West Haven Bantam A travel hockey team opened their season with a 4-4 tie against Yale A on Saturday at Bennett Rink. Brady Price opened up the scoring early, burying two within the first four minutes of the game. West Haven led 2-1 in the second when Alex Bowery picked top corner to make the score 3-1.
A surge of offense from Yale put West Haven in a 4-3 hole with six seconds to go in regulation. With an empty net, Alex Bowery got the puck to Brody Elam on the blue line. Elam quickly fired a shot on goal that found the back of the net.
West Haven had strong defensive efforts from Elam, Cam Levy, Leo Mazuroski, and Dylan Bosworth. Between the pipes, Johnny Kennedy and Trevor Cathey both had strong games.
The West Haven 16U Midget American hockey team fell in the semifinals of the Massachusetts Tier I Labor Day tournament.
The Westies opened the tournament with a 5-0 victory over the Springfield Rifles. Layne Jackson made several stellar saves in posting the shutout.
The Westies took a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back. Mike Madera opened the scoring off assists from Max Schroeder and Jason Anderson, before Matt Stevens scored unassisted and Cooper Savoy scored the first of his two goals off an assist from Schroeder for a 3-0 lead after one.
West Haven put the game away with two goals in the second. Madera scored his second of the game off assists from Chris Adkins and Jake McManus, before Schroeder assisted on the final goal of the game by Savoy.
The Westies fell in the second game of the tournament to the Barnstable Raiders 7-1. Madera scored to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Raiders scored three times in the final 2:56 of the first and never trailed.
West Haven again fell in its third game 6-1 to the Manchester Flames. Trailing 2-0, Savoy got the Westies within a goal off an assist from Schroeder, but the Westies never got closer.
Needing a win to advance, West Haven posted a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bulldogs. Trailing 2-0, the Westies scored the next four goals in the win.
Schroeder cut the deficit in half off an assist from Savoy, and Dylan Bershtein scored the next two goals in a span of 2:06 for a 3-2 lead. Mickey Dowd assisted on the first tally and Stevens on the second. Bershtein completed his hat trick with an unassisted goal 2:44 into the final period.
West Haven advanced to play the Flames in the semifinals, but a fluke goal spoiled a masterful performance by Jackson in goal as West Haven was eliminated 1-0.
The Westies swept a weekend series with the Ct. Chiefs this past weekend, winning 5-0 at home Saturday and 6-0 on the road Sunday.
On Saturday, Patrick Conroy, Bershtein, and McManus scored once each, while Savoy had a pair of tallies. Savoy, Will Giaquinto, and McCarthy had assists in the win.
McCarthy, Conroy, Marco Goodmaster, Jason Alling, Haygen Axelrod, Gavin Luddy, and Yousef Ullah all played well on defense to support the goaltending of Jackson in the shutout.
The defense was at it again on Sunday, supporting the goaltending of Javed Ullah and Ben Amarone in the shutout.
Adkins, Schroeder, McCarthy, Dowd, Madera, and Anderson all scored in the win. Savoy had two assists, while Luddy, Stevens, and Adkins also had assists.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.