West Hartford’s Conard High School boys hockey team defeated the Bethel/Brookfield/Danbury/Immaculate co-op team Thursday night for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division III state championship.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

Conard celebrates their fourth goal – scored by Aidan Emery on a penalty shot. Conard vs. BBDI CIAC Boys Hockey Division III State Championship. March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jennifer Evans

By Ronni Newton

Sticks, helmets, and gloves went flying into the air at the end of a night when four pucks flew into the net of the opposing team’s goal, as the No. 3 seed Conard boys ice hockey team defeated the No. 1 seed Bethel/Brookfield/Danbury/Immaculate co-op team 4-1 for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division III championship.

The Conard boys hockey team celebrates after winning the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jason Siegal

“Everybody’s committed. Everybody wants it,” Aiden Emery, a senior captain who scored two of Conard’s four goals, said after the game in an interview with the CIAC. “We showed that the whole tournament and it’s an unbelievable feeling to come back on top.”

Conard finishes on top of the night, claiming the Division III Boys Ice Hockey Championship. @CHSWHAthletics @ConardCHS #cthk pic.twitter.com/1p2gHXcgfb

— CIAC Sports (@ciacsports) March 15, 2024

This was the Red Wolves’ third year in a row making it to the tournament semifinals. In 2022 they lost in the finals to the Newington co-op, 3-1.

The Conard boys hockey team receives their awards after winning the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jason Siegal

Conard’s last hockey championship was 28 years ago, when they defeated East Haven 6-2 in the Division II tournament in 1996. Conard also won the Division II championship in 1985, beating Westhill (Stamford) 5-4 in overtime.

Brady Narus, returning to the ice after being out for more than two months with an injury, put the Red Wolves on the board first, with an assist from Julian Schneider and Gavin Mangini about five minutes into the first period.

Three minutes later it was Luke Shaffer, with an assist from Dylan Smith, and the score was 2-0 Conard at the break.

Emery found the back of the net in the second period, with an assist by Nick Paolitto.

Conard’s Blake Ittleson in goal. Conard vs. BBDI CIAC Boys Hockey Division III State Championship. March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jennifer Evans

Blake Ittelson was close to a shut-out, but on a power play BBDI managed to get one by him, and the score was 3-1 at the end of the second period.

Emery put the exclamation point on his final night in a Conard uniform in the third period, scoring his second goal, on a penalty shot, to put the Red Wolves up 4-1. When the final horn sounded, the celebration began.

View the winning moment on YouTube courtesy of West Hartford Community Interactive.

Senior captain Aiden Emery scored the last two of Conard’s goals for the 4-1 win over BBDI in the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jason Siegal

The Conard boys hockey defeated BBDI 4-1 to win the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jason Siegal

The Conard boys hockey team lined up to be recognized after winning the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jason Siegal

The Conard boys hockey team celebrates after winning the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jennifer Evans

The Conard boys hockey team celebrates after winning the CIAC Division III championship on March 14, 2024. Photo credit: Jennifer Evans

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