WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep ice hockey team went 2-0-1 last week to raise its record to 2-2-1 on the season. On Friday, Dec. 10, the team traveled to the Igloo Ice Rink in Mount Laurel to take on the Hermits of St. Augustine. They played a very good game, winning 5-1.
In the first period, sophomore Nicholas Schneider scored a shorthanded goal with 2:06 left on a rebound of a Will Underwood shot. In the second period, sophomore Daniel Kelly connected on assists by sophomore Christopher McIntyre and junior Rocco Mendoza with 5:29 left. Just 1:18 later, junior Owen Waivada made it 3-0 on assists by junior Jack Laferriere and senior Kent Bishop after two periods. Just 1:11 into the third period Laferriere connected from the right circle to make it 4-0 on assists by sophomore Michael Agathis and Waivada. After St. Augustine scored to make it 4-1, Mendoza closed out the scoring on a power-play goal with 1:13 left on assists by McIntyre and senior Max Toomey to make the final 5-1. Junior Luke Miles picked up the victory with 22 saves.
On Wednesday, Dec. 8, the Pirates traveled to the Jersey Shore Arena in Wall Township to take on Christian Brothers Academy. The Pirates made a dramatic comeback to tie CBA 2-2 when Underwood deflected a shot by junior Hudson Gorski with :27.9 left in the third period. Toomey also had an assist. In the first period, CBA opened the scoring just :11 into the match. The Pirates tied it up at 1-1 with 11:57 left, when Schneider scored on assists by Gorski and sophomore Dhruv Thakare. Just :47 later CBA retook the lead at 2-1. The score remained the same until Schneider’s dramatic goal.
On Monday, Dec. 6, the Pirates hosted Pope John XXIII of Sparta at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange and defeated the Lions 5-2. Freshman Matt Smith opened the scoring for the Pirates with 3:13 left in the first period on assists by Laferriere and McIntyre to make the score 1-0. Pope John tied the score at 1-1 with 11:47 left in the second period. Junior Severyn Khomyak connected on a rising shot with 8:59 left to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead, and they extended their lead to 3-1 just :36 later when Schneider connected on a penalty shot. The Lions scored a power-play goal with 6:07 left to make the score 3-2, before Underwood scored with 3:52 left on assists by Waivada and Schneider to make it 4-2. Waivada closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal with :49 left on an assist by Laferriere. Senior goalie Demetrios Koularmanis picked up the victory, making 22 saves.