Newington co-op team moves into semifinals after beating Staples, 2-1

The Newington High co-op hockey team is going to the CIAC DIvision III semifinals after beating Staples, 2-1 on Thursday night. (Photo courtesy Newington High Hockey Booster Club).

NORTH BRANFORD, March 10, 2022 – Some senior leadership and poise helped the Newington High co-op hockey team advance to the CIAC Division III semifinals on Thursday night at the Northford Ice Pavilion.

Co-captains Braeden Humphrey and Tyler Leavitt each had goals and goalie Jeremy Wagner made 13 saves as the No. 2 Nor’easters eliminated No. 10 Staples, 2-1. The victory puts Newington (19-4) into Monday’s Div. III semifinals with an opportunity to go to the championship game for the first time since 2013.

After a scoreless first period in which both teams played tight defense, Leavitt opened the scoring just 1:55 into the second period when he flipped home a Harrison Ranger rebound shot past Wreckers’ goalie Adam Kail for a 1-0 lead.

Newington extended their lead to 2-0 when Humphrey took an Evan Oliver pass and pumped a shot past Kail with Leavitt providing a screen in front of the net with less than two minutes left in the second period.

With their season on the line, Staples (9-13) came out strongly in the third period but the stout Newington defense corps of Humphrey, Niko Giotsas, Evan Howard and Blake Blackwood stymied their attempts.

The Nor’easter offense had several chances to increase the lead but was unable to finish.

With 3:51 remaining in the game, the Wreckers managed to raise some hope for their side when Carter Fass threw a puck toward the net that skittered, bounced and deflected past Wagner to cut the lead to one goal, 2-1.

Newington’s team defense, which has been the backbone to the team’s success this year, stiffened and snuffed out any further scoring opportunities for the final margin of victory.

For Staples, Kail had a strong game stopping 19 of 21 shots while Wagner, though not quite as busy, had several key stops and ended up with 13 saves.

No. 2 Newington, which consists of players from Newington, Canton, Cromwell, Berlin and Manchester, will face No. 3 JBWA (18-4) in Monday’s semifinal at Northfield Ice Pavilion beginning at 5 p.m. JBWA is a co-op team with players from Joel Barlow, Weston and Abbott Tech.

This is the third year that Canton has been with the Newington co-op program and this is the deepest run yet into the state tournament with the Warriors as part of the program.

Newington did go to the semifinals in 2019 with Cromwell, Manchester and Berlin as part of the co-op.

The 2022 Division III championship game will be Thursday, March 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the People’s United Center on the campus of Quinnipiac College.

Newington co-op 2, Staples 1
At North Branford
Staples (9-13)                           0  0  1  — 1
Newington co-op (19-4)         0  2  0  — 2
Goals: Tyler Leavitt (N), Braeden Humphrey (N), Carter Fass (S); Assists: Leavitt, Harrison Ranger (N), Evan Oliver (N), Jason Wolgast (S), Tyler DiMaio (S); Saves: Aaron Kail (S) 19, Jeremy Wagner (N) 13; Shots: Newington 25-14