MADISON MOVES ON
Sam Gero had a hat trick and an assist to propel 14th-seeded Madison to a 5-2 win over 19th-seeded Mahwah in the Play-in round of the NJSIAA North, Public tournament at Mennen Arena.
The game was tied, 2-2, when Lucas Gero finished off a feed from his brother Sam to give Madison the lead in the second period. Chris Palawasta buried an empty-netter late to seal it, before Sam Gero completed the hat trick in the final minute.
Lucas Gero finished with a goal and two assists, and Bryan Worthington made 19 saves, as Madison won a state tournament game for the first time since a win over Millburn in the 2019-20 Public C preliminaries.
Madison will face third-seeded Chatham in the first round on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Mennen Arena.
GILL ST. BERNARD’S MAGICAL SEASON COMES TO AN END
Less than 24 hours after a thrilling overtime win in the Haas Cup final, 17th-seeded Gill St. Bernard’s fell, 2-1, to 16th-seeded St. Peter’s Prep in the Play-in round of the Non-Public state tournament at the Barnabas Health Hockey House in Newark.
St. Peter’s Prep’s Tyler Cahn and Andres Hernandez scored in the first period to build a 2-0 lead. It stayed that way until there was only 2:40 left in the game, when Porter Clark cut the deficit to one for the Knights. It was unable to complete the comeback, though, and Gill St. Bernard’s season came to an end just one day after the biggest win in program history.
Luc Jansson made 23 saves for Gill St. Bernard’s, which finished the season at 12-4-2. St. Peter’s Prep had the edge in shots on goal, 25-24, in the game.
St. Peter’s Prep will now face top-seeded Don Bosco Prep in the first round next week.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 