The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Jesuits dominate to win fourth title
WEST HAVEN — The numbers weren’t the impressive part of Jack McGee’s first period. The Fairfield Prep goalie skated to the Bennett Rink dressing room hearing he’d made six saves in the SCC/SWC Division I boys hockey final.
It was the quality of those six that got the Jesuits on their way to a 5-0 win over Notre Dame-West Haven on Saturday night and the fourth SCC title in the eight times they’ve played a championship game.
The Jesuits, ranked No. 1 in the GameTimeCT/Register Top 10 poll, remained perfect against in-state competition, 14-0. They were also 4-2-1 against competition out of state.
They beat fifth-ranked Notre Dame (12-9) three times.
Though the Jesuits had the better of play in all in the first, McGee, who finished with 21 saves, was sharp.
The senior goalie stopped T.J. Hunt’s wraparound 2:30 into the game after the Green Knights forward found a loose puck alone. He denied Chris Hibson on a rebound moments before the Jesuits’ penalty put the Knights on their first power play.
He held onto a point shot with a Green Knights forward crashing his net late in the first, and after a Mike Bencivengo won the puck hit on the forecheck a minute later, McGee stopped Kyle Stober from the right circle.
Colin Bella gave the Jesuits a lead, crashing the net on a power play 6:41 into the game. The Green Knights had their chance with the man advantage cut short by a penalty of their own, and the Jesuits set up Bella in the middle.
Carter Kral made it 2-0 with 4:47 left in the first, and he scored again on a power play to make it 4-0 at 5:27 of the second period. Skyler Celotto had given the Jesuits a 3-0 lead on a twoon-one, taking a feed from Joe Mancini.
Matt Wenger’s goal midway through the third finished off the Jesuits’ second title in a row. They beat the Green Knights in a shootout last year.
Kral, who scored a pair of goals, was named Most Outstanding Player.
TRIPLEHEADER
Friday’s nor’eaaster postponed this game, originally set for Friday night, leaving all three SCC/SWC title games for Saturday. Sheehan won Diviison III and Guilford won Division II.
BIRTHRIGHT, BASICALLY?
Notre Dame has been in the SCC Division I championship game every time it has been played. The Green Knights went 1-2 in the first incarnation, 1997-99, then 1-3 in the past four since the playoff was reinstated in 2013 after a hiatus.
STATE TIME
It’s on to the CIAC Division I tournament for both teams now, beginning Wednesday. The Jesuits are the top seed and will meet winless East Catholic at the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport. The Green Knights, seeded fourth, will host 2015 and 2016 champions Darien.
They could meet again in the semifinals.