Amity 5, Shelton 0

The Shelton hockey team simply ran out of gas in the final period against Amity at Bennett Rink in West Haven, losing 5 – 0 to the Spartans.

Amity, ranked eighth in the state, improved to 10 – 1‑1. The Gaels drop to 3 – 10.

We don’t really have a lot of depth,” said Shelton head coach Tom Roche. We only have 16 players and we are working with just two plus lines.”

The Gaels rolled up their sleeves right from the start, with defensemen Patrick Johnson and Josh Pinsker rotating with Derek DeBenedetto and Ryan DeAngelis driving the Amity attackers into the boards. 

Mark Blake-Lobb, with 39 saves, was getting it done, despite of the relentless attack by the Spartans. 

The first line of center Graham Cherwenuk, left wing Andrew Elliott and right winger Scott Kennedy had a couple of early chances that just missed the post.

Steven Hudak was whistled for elbowing and went to the penalty box at 12:11 of the first period. Less than a minute later Amity cashed in on the power play opportunity when Corey Shea took it into the crease.

Blake-Lobb managed to fend off the initial attack but Anthony Aprile was there to collect the rebound and fired it just inside the post for a 1 – 0 Spartans lead.

Shelton then threw a blanket over the Amity attack and went on the offensive to try and get back in the game.

Give Shelton credit,” said Amity head coach Gary Lindgren. They came out and played hard and gave us a battle. Their goalie did a great job, but we just managed to capitalize on some power play opportunities and secure the game.”

With 7:34 left in the opening period Shelton had their first power play chance, but Amity managed to kill off the penalty and keep the Gaels off the scoreboard.

Right wing Matt Bacon, left wing Jim Wilson and center Dan Guerrera closed in on the Spartans goalie Steve Brandi with time running out in the period. 

Brandi (15 saves) managed to swat away a couple of shots in the crease as Amity took a 1 – 0 advantage into the second period.

Amity scored its second power play goal of the game with 7:14 to play in the second period to take a 2 – 0 lead. 

Corey Shea took a pass from Kurt Wehr and lifted it over the shoulder of Blake-Lobb into the back of the net.

Blake-Lobb kept Shelton in the game making four saves in the final three minutes of the period. Amity held a distinctive advantage with shots on goal owning a 44 – 15 margin. But it was the 15 – 1 third period advantage that turned the lights out on the Gaels.

Four out of five goals that Amity scored were power plays and that is tough to beat,’ said Roche.

We just ran out of gas. If there is such a thing as a morale victory this was the game. We stayed with the eighth ranked team in the state for a better part of two periods.”

The Spartans ripped off two quick goals to take a commanding 4 – 0 advantage with 10:35 to play as Aprile and Marcel Sheirman found the back of the net. 

At the 7:37 mark the Spartans put the final tally on the scoreboard when Zak Dykun got one to go just inside the post for the 5 – 0 final margin.

We are very fortunate to have a group of kids who just love to play hockey,” Roche said. You can’t measure success by wins and loses when you have a team that plays with so much heart.”

Shelton will be back on the ice next Wednesday at the Shelton Rink for a 9 p.m. contest against the Masuk Panthers.

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