Newton-Lenape Valley knocked off Vernon, 8-4, on Saturday night at Skylands Ice World to pick up the program’s second Sussex Cup title in three seasons.
It was the fourth title overall for Newton-Lenape Valley, which won its fourth-consecutive game after a 1-2 start to the season. It went 2-0 in the Sussex Cup round-robin, as it defeated High Point-Wallkill Valley-Kittatinny, 7-4 earlier this week, before clinching the title with a win over Vernon Saturday.
The tournament has followed a round-robin format for the last three years with only three public school teams in Sussex county.
Newton-Lenape Valley trailed, 3-2 after consecutive goals from Christopher Gay, Luke Zabriskie, and Jake Chromcik. But it scored six consecutive goals in the second period to take control, with Brayden Dabrowski netting the tying goal before Justin Zappe buried the go-ahead goal. Dabrowski’s second goal with 4:03 left in the second to put his team up 5-3 proved to be the game-winner as Vernon tallied a fourth goal in the third.
Maksym Pastukh continued his sizzling start to the season, recording a five-point game with three goals and two assists. It is his fourth-consecutive hat trick and fifth of the young season.
Justin Zappe and David Pineda each had a goal and two assists, with Martin Murphy dishing out two assists. Ryan Salerno made 22 saves to secure the win.
Newton-Lenape Valley has won the Sussex Cup title in 2013-14, 2015-16, 2021-22, and now 2023-24.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 