The fourth time wasn’t the charm for Greenwich High School’s boys ice hockey team when it played New Canaan on Saturday night.
For the fourth time this season, the Rams and the Cardinals squared off, this time with a berth in the CIAC Division I Tournament semifinals at stake – and for the fourth time this season, the Rams prevailed against the Cardinals.
Receiving goals from five players, top-seeded New Canaan registered a highly impressive 7-0 win over ninth-seeded Greenwich in the CIAC Division I Boys Hockey Tournament quarterfinals before a big crowd at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford. Riding an eye-opening 16-game winning streak, the Rams advanced to Wednesday’s Division I Tournament semifinals against Darien.
To his right is Rams defenseman Elliot Kropf
Coached by Clark Jones, New Canaan owns a record of 21-2, with its last loss coming on Jan. 13 against Darien. The Rams defeated Ridgefield for the FCIAC Tournament title on March 2 and are vying for their second championship of their 2023-2024 season.
A powerful New Canaan team proved to be a difficult matchup for the Cardinals, who managed to score only two goals in their four games against the Rams, while allowing 24.
“They’re a great team,” Duffy said of New Canaan.
Senior forward Max Lowe registered two goals and one assist, while senior forward Doster Crowell tallied one goal and four assists to help ignite the Rams’ potent offense. Junior forward Bryce Lyden posted one goal and three assists for New Canaan, which received one goal apiece from senior forward/captain Gavin Fitzpatrick, sophomore Tony DelCarmine and sophomore Bauer Gammill.
Jack Crowell, a senior forward/captain assisted on two goals, while senior defenseman Chase Pinkernell and freshman forward Jack Thompson each had an assist in the winning effort.
The Rams led the Cardinals, 2-0, following the first period and 4-0 after two periods of play. Facing a lot of pressure throughout the state tournament game, Greenwich senior goalie made a lot of saves, especially during the first two periods.
After Sinisi made several saves and New Canaan senior goalie Mason Pickering made a save off a shot from Greenwich junior Heath Jervis, the Rams scored the game’s first goal with 5:57 remaining in the opening period.
Lyden snapped home a shot from the right faceoff circle after receiving the puck from freshman Jack Crowell, putting the Rams on top, 1-0. At the 4:34 mark of the first period, New Canaan extended its advantage.
Pinkernell’s shot from the left wing was saved by Sinisi, as the puck deflected off his pads. Positioned in front of the net, Fitzpatrick got his stick on the rebound for a tip-in, making it 2-0.
Pickering kept the score 2-0, saving a nice shot from Cardinals junior forward George Holdsworth with 21 seconds to go in the opening period. Once the third period began, the Rams added on to their lead.
Their third tally came with 10:56 remaining in the third frame and their fourth goal occurred at the 1:42 mark. Lowe, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime of New Canaan’s 3-2 win versus Ridgefield in the FCIAC Tournament final, tallied on a one-timer off a pass from behind the net by Crowell, giving the Rams a 4-0 edge. Lyden was also credited with an assist on the play.
During New Canaan’s 15-game win streak, it has scored 93 goals (6 goals per game), while yielding only 14 goals and posting five shutouts.
DelCarmine tallied off a rebound off a shot from Lowe 59 seconds into the third period, giving New Canaan a commanding 5-0 lead. Lowe and Gammill scored the victors’ final two goals in the last period.
Wednesday’s semifinals between New Canaan and Darien featured rivals who are 1-1 against each other this winter. Both squads were victorious, 4-3, during the regular season.
“They’re such storied rivals and I think it’s going to come down to the wire,” Duffy said of the Division I semifinals between the Blue Wave and the Rams.
New Canaan went on to defeat Darien in the semi-finals with a score of 6-1.
They will now compete on 3/19/24, 7:00pm @Quinnipiac against Notre Dame-West Haven whose regular season record was 14-4-2.
