West Hartford’s Conard High School boys hockey team has earned a trip to the Division II Frozen for with a 4-0 win over Wethersfield on Friday night.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Savannah Cote. Photos by Savannah Cote and Scott Sulkazi

Don’t count Conard out in any division when it comes to making a run to Quinnipiac University.

After defeating only one Division II opponent during the regular season, few expected the Red Wolves, a No. 11 seed, to still be in the hunt for a championship. But throughout the postseason, Conard has continued to prove that expectations don’t determine outcomes.

Conard and Wethersfield, the No. 3 seed, looked evenly matched throughout the opening period, with both sides creating chances but struggling to break down the defense. The only goal of the period came from Conard’s Dylan Smith, who scored an assisted tally to give the Red Wolves a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission. The assist was by Torin McGoldrick.

Conard seized control of the game in the second period. Just over three minutes into the frame, McGoldrick extended the lead to 2-0 with a goal of his own, assisted by Gavin Mangini and Braden Gainey.

The Red Wolves struck again with just under five minutes remaining in the period when Smith found the back of the net for his second goal of the night, this time assisted by Mangini, pushing the advantage to 3-0.

Both teams battled through a scoreless stretch in the third period as Conard’s defense and goaltending held firm. With just under four minutes left in regulation, McGoldrick added the final goal of the night with an unassisted marker, effectively sealing the 4-0 victory.

In net, Chase Emery delivered a standout performance, stopping all 24 shots he faced to earn the shutout – his fourth of the season – and anchoring the Red Wolves’ defensive effort from start to finish.

For senior captain Torin McGoldrick, the victory carried extra meaning as it sent the team back to the state stage. “It’s great,” McGoldrick said about returning to Quinnipiac for the championship atmosphere. “Everyone kind of thought we weren’t that team this year in D2 and that we couldn’t win. We didn’t have the best regular season, but we’re a playoff team, so it’s awesome to be back playing in states.”

In the semifinal game on Tuesday, March 17, Conard will meet the No. 2 seeded East Haven Co-op (17-2-1), a 5-2 winner Friday night over the Farmington Valley Generals. The game begins at 5:30 p.m. at M&T Bank Arena at Quinnipiac University.

Conard is returning to the Frozen Four after winning the Division III state championship the past two years – which led to the Red Wolves moving up a division. They struggled early in the current season, dropping their first three games, and six of their eight losses coming by Jan. 21

With momentum building at the right time, however, Conard has once again shown that postseason hockey is about resilience and belief. As the Red Wolves prepare for the next challenge, they’ll carry the same mentality that has fueled their run all season – proving that no matter the division or expectations, they belong on the biggest stage.

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