Gary Hu
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Senior forward Gary Hu and defensemen Ibou Conteh and Ayan Flowers are West Orange residents who are providing a big boost to the continued development of the 2023-24 Montclair Kimberley Academy ice hockey team which is starting to come around with better play in recent action.
The Cougars entered the week of Monday, Jan. 22, with a 1-7-1 record, including 1-5 in the ultra-competitive New Jersey Interscholastic Ice Hockey League’s McInnis Conference. However, the Montclair private school has been in virtually every game and the West Orange residents have helped lead the way.
Hu, a veteran forward, scored two goals when MKA earned a 3-3 tie versus St. John Vianney (6-3-1) in a Thursday, Jan. 18, independent contest. Conteh, a sophomore and second-year starter along the blue line, provided one of his team’s assists in the contest, as did Flowers, a junior who has been coming on strong in his first varsity action this season.
MKA lost narrow decisions to state-ranked Governor Livingston/New Providence (6-5, Thursday, Dec. 21), Cranford (3-2, Monday, Jan. 8) and Westfield (3-1, Friday, Jan. 12) as the improved play of veteran coach Tim Cook’s Cougars continues.
MKA had a banner season in 2022-23, winning the Kelly Cup playoff championship, while finishing 16-4-2 overall and 9-1-2 in the Kelly Division, which led to its ascension up into the McInnis Division this winter.
Hu, who has six goals and two assists through the first nine games this season, had 10 goals and six assists for last season’s Kelly Cup champs, while Conteh, then a freshman, provided a goal and 10 assists in the 2022-23 season.
The ever-emerging Flowers has a goal and four assists so far this season.
Hu, who continues to skate on one of MKA’s top lines, had the game-winning goal in overtime when the Cougars defeated Summit, 2-1, on Dec. 19.
Photos Courtesy of Gene Nann and Montclair Kimberley Academy
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