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Generals score three unanswered goals to win CCC South tournament crown

Players on the Farmington Valley Generals celebrate after winning the CCC South tournament championship Friday at Trinity College. (Photo courtesy Farmington Valley Generals via Twitter)

Players on the Farmington Valley Generals celebrate after winning the CCC South tournament championship Friday at Trinity College. (Photo courtesy Farmington Valley Generals via Twitter)

HARTFORD, March 4 – The Farmington Valley Generals ice hockey team had an opportunity for a bit of revenge and a championship trophy Friday night at Trinity College.

The Generals, a co-op team consisting of players from Avon, Farmington, Windsor and Lewis Mills, finished second in the CCC South this winter. The E.O. Smith/Tolland co-op team went 8-3-1 in the CCC South while the Generals were 8-4.

E.O. Smith/Tolland, which calls themselves the Bucks, picked up a crucial 3-2 overtime win over the Generals on February 20. Jimmy Petrella’s goal with 1:54 left in OT won the game for the Bucks and made the difference in the race for the pennant.

On Friday, the Generals and Bucks were on the ice playing for the CCC South tournament championship.

This time, it was the Generals celebrating at the end. Farmington Valley scored three goals in the third period including a pair of goals in a span of 42 seconds to lift the Generals to a 5-2 decision over the Bucks and the CCC South tournament title.

The score was tied at 2-2 after two periods. The Generals took a 3-2 lead on a goal from junior Danny Shayler off an assist from Jack Noble with 4:51 left in the game. They quickly added another goal 42 seconds later from sophomore Peter Hoffman to push the lead to two. Sophomore Tim Arena added an empty net goal with 52 seconds left in the game.

Sophomore goalie Ryan Bellucci stopped 20 shots to earn the win for the Generals. Hoffman and Arena had two goals each for Farmington Valley, which has won four straight games since they dropped the OT loss to the Bucks.

It’s the first hockey post-season championship for a program with Avon players participating since Avon won the Northern Hockey Conference’s post-season tournament in 2010.

Avon began participating in this co-op program in 2012 with Farmington and Windsor and that team won the CCC East championship. This is the second year that the co-op is playing under the Farmington Valley Generals brand. This is the co-op’s first winning season since 2012.

The Generals open play in the CIAC Division II tournament on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they face No. 7 Cheshire (9-10-1) at Wesleyan University in Middletown at 7 p.m. The Generals are seeded 10th in the tournament.

Farmington Valley 5, E.O. Smith/Tolland 2
At Hartford
Farmington Valley (15-7)            1  1  3  — 5
E.O. Smith/Tolland (14-7-1)        1  1  0  – 2
Goals: Jimmy Petrella (EOS), Owen Doremus (EOS); Peter Hoffman (FV) 2, Tim Arena (FV) 2, Danny Shayler; Saves: Jake Ciraco (EOS) 23, Ryan Bellucci (FV) 20

CCC South Tournament
Semifinals
Farmington Valley 5, Hall/Southington 0
E.O. Smith/Tolland 2, Bolton/Coventry/Rockville/RHAM 0
Championship
Farmington Valley 5, E.O. Smith/Tolland 2

Since 2009, the Collinsville Press has been providing award-winning coverage of sports and news in the Farmington Valley and across Connecticut.

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