Will Benson
GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The fifth-seeded Verona–Glen Ridge high school ice hockey team stunned fourth-seeded Morris Knolls–Morris Hills High School 4-3 in a shootout in the quarterfinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Public C state tournament on Sunday night, Feb. 26, at Mennen Arena in Morristown.
Glen Ridge senior Rowan Brennan had two goals and one assist; GR senior Will Benson had one goal and one assist; and GR junior Pyotr Sysak, GR freshman James Benson and Verona-Glen Ridge senior Andrew Eremita each had one assist. Verona–Glen Ridge trailed 3-2 at the end of the second period before Brennan tied it with a goal off assists from Will Benson and Sysak in the third period.
After a scoreless overtime, Verona–Glen Ridge prevailed in the shootout 1-0. Sysak scored in the first round of the shootout.
GR senior Eli Gottlieb made 50 saves. Gottlieb stopped all five attempts in the shootout.
Verona–Glen Ridge, under head coach Ken Lilien, improved to 10-9-3 on the season. They were scheduled to face the winner between No. 1 seed Governor Livingston High School of Berkeley Heights and No. 8 seed Toms River East High School in the semifinals on Wednesday, March 1, at Mennen Arena, after press time. The championship game will take place Monday, March 6, at the Prudential Center, home of the New Jersey Devils, in Newark.
The other quarterfinal games were scheduled for Monday, Feb. 27 — No. 7 seed Pascack Valley–Pascack Hills against No. 2 seed West Essex Regional (of North Caldwell)–Caldwell high school; and No. 6 seed Brick Township–Brick Memorial high School against No. 3 seed Colonia–Iselin Kennedy–Woodbridge high school.
It was sweet redemption for Verona–Glen Ridge, which lost to Morris Knolls–Morris Hills 3-2 in overtime in last season’s Public C semifinals to finish a 21-5-3 campaign that included winning the Kelly Cup playoff championship.
Photos Courtesy of Chris Troyano
Verona–Glen Ridge vs. Howell (Public C state tournament first round) on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Richard J. Codey Arena. Verona–Glen Ridge won 9-0.
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