The Conard boys hockey team lost 4-1 to E.O. Smith/Tolland on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Rink in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

It had been 363 days since the Conard boys hockey team lost two games (Jan. 20 and Feb. 3, 2024). That time period included winning the State Championship last season and going 14-2-1 on the year. Now, in the space of six days, the Red Wolves have dropped two games – a 6-1 loss to East Haven on Monday and Saturday a 4-1 home loss to E.O. Smith/Tolland.

“The players are OK,” said Conard head coach Jason Olson after the loss to the Bucks. “It makes our next games really important. They (the players) will be better.”

The Red Wolves are 1-2-1 in their last four games and now face No. 9 Enfield and then a rematch with No. 3 Smith/Tolland.

Saturday’s matinee featured an exciting, energized first period that saw both teams play physical hockey, get good scoring chances, and have some good play in net. Things might have started better for Conard but a low shot at 2:07 hit the bottom of the far post and skidded into the corner. The Red Wolves had another good chance about three minutes later when Porter Andrews tipped a point shot, but Bucks goalie Liam Petrella got a glove on to keep things scoreless.

Both teams would kill off penalties, and both Petrella and Conard goalie Chase Emery were coming up big for their teams throughout the action at both ends. With just over 2:30 to play the Bucks got on the board first when Sasha Filipovic made his way out of the corner and beat Emery on his glove side for the 1-0 lead.

“Their first goal was a good goal as their best player beat our best player,” Olson said. Smith/Tolland tried to take advantage of the momentum and held the puck in the offensive zone for a long stretch in the final minute of the period, but Emery was equal and kept his team in it.

The early part of the second saw the Bucks come out of the locker room ready to add to their lead. Filipovic nearly made it 2-0 just :50 in but Emery made a sprawling save in his crease to deny. Two-and-a-half minutes later it was Filipovic getting the better of Conard and Emery off a hustle play by his teammate Declan Bayne. Filipovic’s initial shot went wide into the right corner and Bayne hustled to the loose puck, firing a pass back in front of the goal that Filipovic tipped past Emery for the 2-0 lead.

“There were moments when we take care of our defensive zone,” Olson said. After the second goal Emery and the Conard defense were under siege as the Bucks kept the puck in the attacking zone, firing shot after shot towards the net. Brady Narus took a tripping call about midway through the second in the Conard offensive zone after the puck had been cleared out by Smith/Tolland. His teammates were up to the task, playing a patient penalty kill, and using physical play when needed to get the puck. Dylan Smith had two strong shifts using his size and strength to get to the puck and clear it.

With both sides settling in it looked like the score might stay 2-0 for the rest of the second. But Mike Iacampo knocked home a pass from Gerry Duval on Emery’s right side to give the Bucks the 3-0 lead with 3:38 to play. It could have been a larger lead but for Smith’s effort breaking up a 2-on-2 rush with his stick.

Conard finally got on the board on the power play when Dylan Goldstein took a slashing penalty in the corer with just :56 to go in the period. The Red Wolves applied solid pressure, keeping control of the puck before Torin McGoldrick converted on a nice pass from Gavin Mangini with just :05 to go in the period.

Through the first two periods the Bucks outshot Conard by a margin of 16-12. McGoldrick’s goal was the first for the Red Wolves since the first period of Monday’s loss to East Haven.

“We haven’t been quick enough to the loose puck,” Olson said of his team. “We were a lot of one-and-done with no rebound chances.”

The early parts of the third period resembled much of the first with both sides working hard and just 3:37 in Smith/Tolland was rewarded for its efforts when right wing Ryan Fantry scored from in close off a Filipovic assist to make it 4-1. Conard would get another power play chance when Jack DiStefano took a high sticking call. Petrella made his best save of the game in the penalty kill, dashing the Red Wolves’ chances at a comeback.

Conard was outshot 24-16 in the game with the Bucks scoring three of their four goals from in tight on Emery on players that were not tied up by the defense.

“The issues we are having are fixable,” Olson said after the game.

Game notes:

• In its last two games – both at home – the Red Wolves have been outscored by a combined 10-2.
• Before this week, Conard had allowed a total of nine goals against on the season thru its first eight games, never surrendering more than two against in any one game.
• On offense, The Red Wolves had scored 24 goals through the first eight games before cooling off this week in the two losses.
• Now through Feb. 5, the Conard and Hall boys hockey teams and the Conard/Hall Girls team are collecting  food and funds for the West Hartford Food Pantry. Fans attending a home game are asked to bring nonperishable food that will be collected at the door. Donations can also be made at the game to support the Food Pantry using a QR code posted at the collection point. The goal is to collect 500 food items and $500.

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