On December 20th, the Williston boy’s hockey team loaded up the busses and headed to The St. Sebastian’s Holiday Tournament in Needham, MA for a late-night tilt against an already-seasoned Northwood team who came into the night having played close to thirty-five games. Northwood would get on the board once in the first half of the game and early in the second half, but Williston turned things on to tie and then win it in a shootout, 3-2.
For much of the first half, Williston stuck to its game plan and was only down 1-0 at the end of the period. Northwood got on the board a little more than two minutes in the second period when a shot was taken from off a rush from just over the blueline that kissed the left post and careened in past Williston goalie, Trevor Corsello. However, Williston’s power play was clicking as senior captain, Tommy Harty scored twice to even the game.
The first came on the power play when Harty took a one-timer from David Novotny who was sitting on the right hash marks. Harty found an opening on the far post past the Northwood goaltender. Tyler Varin got the other assist. The goal was scored at the 7:32 mark of the period. Harty got his second of the game when he took a pass, again in the slot, and let a lazy lightening of a backhand shot go that looked to beat the Northwood goalie in the middle of the net, tying the game. Both teams would trade chances but none would fall. A five–minute overtime yielded no victor, either.
On to a shootout.
Northwood shot first and Corsello thwarted the effort.
Harty took the first shot for Williston and beat their goalie on a deke to a backhand.
Corsello stopped the next Northwood shooter.
Novotny was the second shooter for Williston in the best of three shootout and he capitalized sending the Williston bench into jubilation. They would play the late game the following day over a very strong St. Andrews Saints team from Toronto.
The following day, Williston dropped a 6-1 decision to the Saints. Novotny got the lone goal for Williston with assists to Sacratini and Varin. Williston then faced St. Sebastian’s on Sunday for the third–place game and lost 4-1. Connor Hagness scored with an assist from Sacratini.
After the New Year, Williston reconvened back in Boston to take on Noble and Greenough School and, once again, St. Sebastian’s. Williston was the home team against Nobles at St. Sebastian’s and started out the game by finishing the first period even at zero.
In the second period, Williston got on the board just three minutes into the frame when Hagness drove into the zone and put a backhander on Nobles goalie, Marc Smith, from the bottom of the circle. The odd-angle shot deflected at just about crossbar-height and Williston assistant captain and baseball extraordinaire, Matt Pimental batted in the rebound. Then, a little over a minute later, Charles Monteith gathered a puck just inside the blue line and a fortuitous screen by Ryan Deschamps allowed the puck to beat Smith once again. Things appeared to be going well for the Wildcats who dominated play. However, bad penalties in the second and third period and four Nobles power play goals erased all hope for a Wildcat win and Nobles took the game 6-2. Williston was outshot, 44-23, Corsello taking the loss.
The next day Williston played St. Sebastian’s and took the loss, 5-1. Connor Hagness got the lone goal when he ripped a shot that went bar-down to tie the game at one midway through the second stanza. Shaul Mitton got the assist. Williston hung close but eventually Sebs pulled away. Williston was outshot in this game 46-20, while Emile Savoie took the loss.
Williston has struggled out of the gate, but with the strength-of schedule that the Wildcats play has only helped to season them as they begin the next two-thirds of their schedule in the New Year. Williston is on the road again for the next four games with the next game this Wednesday at 3:30 at Canterbury. Both teams have identical records and are looking for their second win of the season and a chance to go on a run. See you in New Milford!