Newington co-op tops Hall for fourth straight win

The Newington co-op ice hockey team beat Hall for their fourth straight win Wednesday night in West Hartford.

WEST HARTFORD, Jan. 13, 2022 – Goals from Tyler Leavitt and Josh Grimm and a strong defensive performance in the third period helped the Newington co-op team beat Hall, 4-2 in a CCC South boys hockey game Wednesday night at Veteran’s Memorial Rink.

The Nor’Easters erased a one-goal deficit to win their fourth straight game.

Hall led 2-1 thanks to a goal from Matt Gaines with 1:38 left in the second period before Newington’s Evan Oliver stripped a Hall player of the puck and raced in on goal with a breakaway, scoring a shot with 26.7 seconds left to tie the game at 2-2.

Newington (6-1) opened the third period with a flurry of shots finally capitalizing on a 2-on-1 break with Tyler Leavitt finishing the play with a shot over the glove hand of Hall goalie Aeden Mallet.

Three minutes later on the power play, Newington’s Josh Grimm added an insurance goal with 7:56 remaining off a feed from Braeden Humphrey (Canton) with Mike Deegan also assisting.

The Nor’Easters did have a few tense moments late in the third period as they had to kill off an extended 5-on-3 Hall power play. Strong defensive play by Humphrey, Blake Blackwood, Gavyn Munson (Canton) and Deegan along with key stops by goalie Jeremy Wagner sealed the Nor’Easter victory.

Junior forward Tanner Jorczak gave Newington a 1-0 lead, scoring on a quick snap shot on the first shot of the game.

Newington, which is a co-op that includes Canton, Manchester, Berlin, Cromwell and Newington, returns to the ice when they take on the Milford co-op team Saturday at 5:15 p.m. at Milford Ice Pavilion.

Newington co-op 4, Hall 2
At West Hartford
Newington (6-1)          1  1  2  — 4
Hall (4-2)                     0  2  0  — 2
Goals: Tanner Jorczak (N), Evan Oliver (N), Tyler Leavitt (N), Josh Grimm (N), Ben Gerken (H), Matt Ganey (H); Assists: Braeden Humphrey (N), Mike Deegan (N), Jack Reynolds (N); Saves: Jeremy Wagner (N), Aeden Mallet (H)