The junior gets the hat trick for the Red Wolves in a game Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Rink in West Hartford.

By Paul Palmer

Junior Aiden Emery capped off a hat trick with the game winner 42 seconds into overtime as the Conard Red Wolves overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat Cheshire in a wild hockey game Wednesday night in West Hartford.

“The puck came in and there was one guy to get around,” said Emery of the game winner. “My legs were done, but I pushed on and got the shot off.” The game winner was the first time the Red Wolves had led the Rams in the thrilling game at Veterans Memorial Ice Rink.

Emery had forced overtime when he scored his second of the game with 42 seconds left in the third period and Conard skating with the extra man after pulling the goalie. Conard found itself trailing by two when Devin Kelly scored at the 6:29 mark, but didn’t give up. “I never saw anyone’s head go down on the bench,” said Emery.

Cheshire scored the only goal of the first period when Rocco Ocone-Krause scored the first of his two goals at 7:52, poking in a rebound past goalie Brendan Murphy. Moments later Brady Narus had a chance to tie things but he was shut down by Cheshire goalie Jack Falk.

The Rams doubled their lead just 24 seconds into the second period when Evan Vasiljevs scored. Conard went on the attack and had several good opportunities, but when Tyler West went off for roughing at 12:47, the momentum was slowed for the hosts. With just under a minute gone in the power play, Will Gaudet skated the puck the length of the ice from his own end and circled the Conard goal before handing the puck to Vasiljevs at the blue line. He then went tape to tape with Ocone-Krause who was crashing in from the right side and slid the puck into the net.

“This was our first real test of adversity this season,” said head coach Jason Olson, who led Conard to the Division III finals last season. “We had our backs against the wall.”

Conard responded in the second half of the second period first Gavin McGowan made a strong individual effort and scored while getting knocked down to the ice. Later in the period Emery and teammate Torin McGoldrick came in on a two-on-one and McGoldrick laid the puck on his teammate’s stick and Emery’s wrister brought Conard back to just a 3-2 deficit.

Through two periods Cheshire had 18 shots and Conard 17 as both goalies were forced to work hard.

In the third, Conard came out fighting for the equalizer, and Gavin Mangini nearly got it just five minutes in when he had two tries from in close that Falk was able to fight off. It looked like Cheshire had put the game away at 9:31 when Devin Kelly made Conard pay for a turnover in its own defensive zone. He was in front of Murphy and the puck skidded to his stick, he spun and scored on a low shot to make it 4-2.

But McGoldrick and Emery still had some magic left. They teamed with Holden Patrissi to get the puck on McGoldrick’s stick and his wrister brought the Red Wolves to within a goal with just under five minutes to play.

Olson opted to pull his goalie Murphy with just under a minute to go to get the extra attacker on the ice. With 42.5 seconds left, Emery pulled the puck around and through a pile of players before he fired a shot top shelf to tie the game and send the home crowd into a frenzy.

“The intensity got better and we improved out shots each period,” said Olson. “Each period we allowed fewer shots.”

After a quick break, the two sides faced off for 8:00 of overtime hockey, but Emery sent the home fans home happy – and early – when he picked up a loose puck just above the left faceoff circle, skated by one defender, and fired off his shot to end it at 5-4.

Conard players celebrate Aiden Emery’s OT winner over Cheshire, 5-4 @WeHartford ⁦@CHSWHAthletics⁩ pic.twitter.com/NTiYbvkfHS

— We-Ha.Com (@WeHartford) December 22, 2022

“Aiden has been incredible for us,” said his coach. “He’s got the hands and the shots to go with it.”

For Conard it was the second win in its first three games. They fell to Newington – last year’s Division III champions – then beat TriTown 11-1 last time out, before the gritty, gutsy win over Cheshire. “ This game showed what kind of character we have,” Olson said after the win.

Next up for Conard is a Boxing Day faceoff with unbeaten Hall at 11 a.m. at Veterans.

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