News and notes for Opening Day, Dec. 7

By Mike Gurnis

Morris Knolls-Hills opened Mennen division play in a big way, as it held off defending Mennen Cup champion Chatham, 5-4 at Mennen Arena.

It was a truly back-and-forth game, in which Jake McCloud and Jack Martinez scored to put Knolls-Hills up 2-0 early in the first. Chatham then scored three-straight to take the lead, as Connor Gilleece scored twice and Luc D’Costa scored another. Knolls-Hills took the lead for good though, when Dylan Williams, McCloud, and Luke Dickerson scored three times in a span of 3:22 late in the third to make it a 5-3 game.

Thomas White scored a power play goal late in the third for Chatham, but it was unable to complete the comeback.

Sophomore Reid Kisch, in her first varsity start for Knolls-Hills, stopped 19 shots to earn her first win. McCloud finished with two goals and an assist, while Dickerson added two points (1 g., 1 a.). Matt Nacinovich dished out two assists for Chatham.

These teams played three thrilling games last season, with Chatham winning two meetings by a goal (including the Mennen semifinal) and the other ending in a 1-1 tie. They’re set to meet again on Jan. 23 at Mennen, which is a game that could potentially have late-season divisional implications.

DELBARTON OPENS STRONG

The Green Wave, which opened at No. 1 in NJ.com’s Top 20, kicked off the season in style with a 4-1 road win over Princeton Day at McGraw Rink in Princeton.

Junior Dante Rodriguez buried the first two goals of his varsity career, as he opened the scoring in the first period and then added a key insurance marker in the third. Max Pendy gave Delbarton a 2-0 lead in the third, while Egor Andreev, a sophomore, netted his first career goal with an empty-netter to seal it in the final minute. Sophomore Aidan Pasic chipped in with two assists.

Junior George Cote- a transfer from Seton Hall Prep- stopped 21 of 22 shots in his first start for Delbarton.

It was a big win to open Gordon Conference play for last year’s Gordon Cup champs and Non-Public finalists. They’ll be tested again on Sunday, though, when they take on No. 3 Don Bosco at 6:15 p.m. at the Ice Vault in Wayne.

PASTUKH PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF

Despite not joining Newton-Lenape Valley until mid-January last season, Maksym Pastukh put up a remarkable 31 points in 14 games. If his performance on opening night is any indication, the junior is in line to keep that going.

He completed a hat trick to lead NLV to a 7-1 win over Morris Catholic-St. Elizabeth in the Charette division opener for both teams at Mennen Arena.

David Pineda scored twice, while Tanner Gaboda and Lucas Garofano each found the back of the net for NLV. Ryan Keller scored for Morris Catholic-St. Elizabeth in the loss.

CRISAFULLI BREAKS OUT FOR RANDOLPH

Vincent Crisafulli kicked off his sophomore year in a big way, scoring three times with two assists to lead Randolph to a 6-2 win over Morristown in the first game of the Mennen division season at Mennen Arena.

Crisafulli had four goals and nine assists last year, and is already over a third of the way to his point total from 2022-23 after one game.

The Rams, last year’s Mennen regular season champions and Cup runner-ups, raced out to a 5-0 lead behind three goals from Crisafulli, one from Shane Melly, and another from Jase Zangara. After Morristown scored back-to-back power play goals from Jackson Byrne and Clark Smith, Keegan Melly sealed it with a power play goal of his own in the third.

John Krynicki, in his first start in goal for Randolph, stopped 19 of 21 shots. Randolph out-shot Morristown, 42-21 in the game.

E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com