By Mike Gurnis
3-KJS United 5, 2-Randolph 4
Behind a four-goal performance, including the game-winner late, KJS United overcame a two-goal deficit and moved on to the Mennen Cup final.
Randolph led, 4-2 after the first period on two goals from Shane Melly, and one each from Keegan Melly and Bryson Findling. But KJS United struck back in the second period, as Sisco scored a PPG 8:51 into the period, before he scored just under three minutes later to tie the game.
He completed the natural hat trick and scored the game-winner with 2:20 left in the game with another power play tally. KJS had to kill off a Randolph power play in the final minute and was able to seal the victory to finish the season series against the Rams 2-0-1.
Stefan Filewicz made 28 saves for KJS United, which is now 10-6-2 on the year. Sisco and Maximo Rodriguez each scored in the first period.
Shane Melly finished with two goals and two assists for Randolph, which fell to 12-6-2 and dropped its second contest in a row.
1-Morristown-Beard 9, 5-Mendham 1
After a tight first period, Morristown-Beard pulled away in the second period for a dominant win over Mendham behind a seven-point performance from John Gonnella.
With the squad holding a 1-0 lead, Gonnella and Evan Redman each scored 54 seconds apart to build a three-goal cushion. Mendham’s Kacper Lesiak scored a power play goal during a five-minute major to cut the deficit to two, but Morristown-Beard wrestled back momentum with a shorthanded goal by Gonnella on that same major. He added another just a few minutest later, and the Crimson built a 5-1 lead going into the third period.
Gonnella had four goals and three assists, while Evan Redman tallied three goals and three assists. Trenton Fei scored twice in the third period, with Alex Hriczov collecting three assists and Marcus Cassidy adding two helpers. Mason Hriczov made 18 saves in the win.
Morristown-Beard improved to 16-2-1 on the year and completed a season-sweep of Mendham by a combined score of 22-4 in three games.
Brendon Eigner made 36 saves for Mendham, which fell to 7-9-2 on the year.
WHAT’S NEXT
Morristown-Beard and KJS United will meet in the Mennen Cup final on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7:45 p.m.
It is the second-straight Mennen Cup final appearance for Morristown-Beard, which is looking to defend its title after a 5-2 win over Chatham in last year’s final. KJS United is making its first Mennen Cup final appearance as a tri-op; Kinnelon as a solo program last made the final in 2016, when it fell, 4-1 to Morristown-Beard. It last won a Mennen Cup title in 2013 when it was co-champions with Morris Knolls after playing to a 4-4 tie.
KJS United’s last Cup title of any kind came in 2024, when it knocked off Mendham, 5-2, to win the Halvorsen Cup.
These two teams met in the Mennen Cup last season in the semifinals, which was a 3-0 win for Morristown-Beard. The teams played back-to-back games against each other this year on Jan. 14 and 16, which saw Morristown-Beard emerge with wins by scores of 7-4 and 7-1.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 