MCLAUGHLIN ONE AWAY FROM 500 WINS
Randolph coach Rich McLaughlin is now just one win from the 500 mark, as he picked up his 499th career win in a 10-4 win over Morris Knolls-Hills at Mennen Arena.
McLaughlin can become the fourth coach in state history to reach the 500-win mark on Wednesday, when the Rams host Ramapo at 5:45 p.m. at SportsCare Arena.
Jase Zangara had a hat trick and two assists for Randolph, which remains the only unbeaten team in the state at 15-0-1. Vincent Crisafulli and Andrew George each recorded two goals and an assist, while Shane Melly scored a goal. Daniel Sharkey dished out three assists.
Randolph improved to 7-0 in the Mennen Division.
Jake McCloud scored twice for Morris Knolls-Hills, with Luke Dickerson and Michael Simone each chipping in with a goal. It fell to 6-10-1 overall with a 2-5 mark in the Mennen Division. It will face Morristown in the final divisional game on Thursday at 6:15 p.m. with a Mennen Cup spot on the line. More on that scenario below…
WINNER-TAKE-ALL FOR FINAL MENNEN CUP SPOT SET FOR THURSDAY
Ryan Tartaglione buried the game-winning goal with 50 seconds left in overtime to lift Morristown-Beard to a 3-2 win over Morristown on Monday.
Morristown-Beard moved into second place in the Mennen Division with a 4-3-1 record (9 points), one point ahead of Chatham, which has one game left against Randolph Friday.
The game just getting to overtime is significant, because Morristown earned a point with the overtime loss. It now trails Morris Knolls-Hills by one point for the fourth and final Mennen Cup spot, and the two teams play on Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Mennen Arena. A Morristown regulation win would put it in the Mennen Cup over Knolls-Hills. A Knolls-Hills win of any kind clinches a spot over Morristown. A Morristown win in overtime would leave the teams tied in points with 5 each, meaning it would come down to tiebreakers to determine who gets the final spot.
POPE JOHN WINS FIRST EGAN CUP
Pope John scored three times in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and earn a 4-1 win over St. John Vianney to win the program’s first Egan Cup at ProSkate in Monmouth Junction.
After Robbie Myshkoff scored in the first period to tie it at one, Johans Bars scored early in the third period to give the Lions the lead. Then Hunter Parillo added an insurance tally, before finishing it off with an empty-netter.
This was Pope John’s first year of participating in the Egan Conference. The win improved its overall record to 14-4.
GILL ST. BERNARD’S EDGES PARK REGIONAL, HAAS MATCH-UPS SET
Gill St. Bernard’s defeated Park Regional 3-2 at Mennen Arena.
This result should officially settle the Haas Cup seeds, pending official confirmation from the MCSSIHL. Park Regional’s loss puts it two points behind Montville for the third seed, and even if it were to win its final game and Montville loses its final game, Montville holds the head-to-head tiebreaker. So, pending final confirmation, top seeded West Morris appears to be facing fourth-seeded Park Regional, and second-seeded Gill St. Bernard’s will face third-seeded Montville.
PENDY LEADS DELBARTON PAST BERGEN CATHOLIC
Max Pendy scored four goals to lead Delbarton to a 5-3 win over Bergen Catholic at SportsCare Arena.
It was the first four-goal game of Pendy’s career. It helped Delbarton improve to 11-4 overall with a 5-3 record in the Gordon Conference-American Division.
Aidan Pasic and Dante Rodriguez each had two assists for Delbarton. Egor Andreev also scored, while George Cote made 14 saves in the win.
ANOTHER HAT TRICK FOR HEMENWAY LIFTS PARSIPPANY
Robert Hemenway had a hat trick to lead Parsippany Regional to a 6-5 win over Newark East Side at the Ironbound Recreation Center in Newark.
Parsippany Regional trailed, 5-4, before Max Ingersoll scored with 5:08 left in the third to tie it at five. Then, Matthew Hemenway scored the game-winning goal with 53.2 seconds left on the clock.
It was Robert Hemenway’s fourth time in five games with three or more goals, as he has recorded 13 goals and four assists in those four games. Matthew Hemenway scored twice with an assist, while Sean Coyle and Joseph Gasparro each dished out two assists. Andrew Nicholas made 25 saves as Parsippany improved to 6-7 overall.
JASAITIS POWERS MORRISTOWN-BEARD TO FOURTH-STRAIGHT WIN
Julie Jasaitis scored three goals to lead Morristown-Beard to its fourth-straight victory, a 4-2 win over Portledge (N.Y.) on the road.
Jessica Sperling had a goal and two assists for the Crimson, who are now 11-2 overall. Hannah Mortazavi made 35 saves on 37 shots to earn the victory.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 