WEST MORRIS CLINCHES HAAS DIVISION IN DRAMATIC FASHION
Ben Barnhill had a hat trick and an assist- including the game-winning goal in overtime- to lift West Morris to a 5-4 win over Mountain Lakes-Boonton at Mennen Arena.
The win clinched the Haas Division regular season title for West Morris, which is now 7-0-1 in the division. Gill St. Bernard’s trails by two points with one game left, but the best it can do is tie the Wolfpack, and West Morris would prevail on the head-to-head tiebreaker for going 1-0-1. It will be the top seed for the upcoming Haas Cup, with Gill St. Bernard’s locked into the second spot.
West Morris held a 3-1 lead after the first period, courtesy of two goals from Barnhill and one from Shiva Kutikat. But Mountain Lakes-Boonton got back into it with a goal from Jonathan Garibaldi on the power play in the second period, before Kyle Wenzel notched the tying goal in the third. Kutikat buried his second to take a 4-3 lead, but Benji Forman forced the extra session with the tying goal.
Cody Roller made 34 saves for Mountain Lakes-Boonton.
VERNON, HIGH POINT EARN CHARETTE WINS
There were a pair of Charette Division match-ups on Saturday, with Vernon and High Point-Wallkill Valley-Kittatinny earning wins.
Vernon picked up an 11-1 win over Morris Catholic-St. Elizabeth at Skylands Ice World. Christopher Gay and Luke Zabriskie each had three goals and four assists, with Jake Chromcik tallying two goals and four assists.
The win moved Vernon into a tie for third place in the Charette Division with Parsippany as each have eight points, but Vernon has a game in hand. A point of any kind on Saturday against Newton-Lenape Valley would clinch the third seed in the Charette Cup. Otherwise, it would come down to tiebreakers between Vernon and Parsippany.
The High Point tri-op bounced back with a 7-1 win over Parsippany Regional. Brady Reid recorded two goals and two assists, and Michael Sadowski had a goal and two assists. William Schreiber, Anthony Tokar, Alex Sonvico, and Joshua Custode each finished with a goal and an assist. Landon Healy made 15 saves.
High Point is currently tied with Newton-Lenape Valley for first place with 10 points each. The teams will meet on Tuesday night at 9:20 p.m. at Skylands Ice World, and NLV can clinch the division title and top seed for the Charette Cup with a win.
MONTVILLE SWEEPS PARK REGIONAL
Cole Riley had a hat trick to lift Montville to a 4-1 win over Park Regional at Mennen Arena.
It completed the season sweep for Montville over Park, as it earned a 4-3 win back on Jan. 8. It now has a two-point edge over Park for the third seed in the Haas Cup, and can clinch the third seed with a win over Mountain Lakes-Boonton on Thursday. Park could tie Montville in points in that scenario, but Montville has the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Ryan Wortman also scored, with Matt Trifari and Logan Engle each recording two assists. Alexis Riley made 25 saves in the win.
ROXBURY RALLIES FOR TIE WITH OLD BRIDGE
Despite facing two separate two-goal deficits, Roxbury rallied to earn a 4-4 tie with Old Bridge at SportsCare Arena in Randolph on the team’s senior night.
Sean Hardy scored twice for the Gaels, with his second coming in the second period to cut the deficit to 3-2. Then, after Old Bridge extended the lead to 4-2, Patrick Apgar and Chase Alven scored to knot the score up at four.
Mikey Guadagnino was a big part of the team’s comeback, as he stopped 41 of 45 shots to keep his team in it despite a 45-27 shot disadvantage.
Roxbury is now 3-10-3 on the season.
OTHER SCORES
Gill St. Bernard’s 4, Newton-Lenape Valley 1
Millburn 5, Mount Olive-Hopatcong-Hackettstown 2
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 