West Hartford’s Hall/Conard girls hockey co-op shut out Simsbury Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Ice Rink.

Maddie Sweeney (7) is all smiles after scoring the first goal of the game. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

By Paul Palmer

Freshman Lauren Busi posted the shutout, and the Hall/Conard girls hockey team completed the season sweep of Simsbury with a 6-0 win at Veterans Memorial Ice Rink. Hall/Conard won the first matchup 4-0 in December and are now 7-5 on the season.

The hosts got on the board first when senior Maddie Sweeney banged in a rebound past Trojans goalie Emily Nigro. Both teams managed to generate zone possession, but Hall/Conard was able to use its speed, size and reach to keep Simsbury from getting any dangerous changes on goal.

The Trojans had their best chance when Sweeney was called for holding. They kept the puck in the Hall/Conard zone for most of the two minutes but were unable to get anything past Busi. Just as the penalty was ending, Teagan Cohane busted out of the defensive zone with a loose puck with teammate Quinn Bacon trailing. Cohane and a defender battled and the puck came to Bacon who put it in the back of the net with 10:05 to go in the first.

Quinn Bacon scored twice in the 6-0 win over Simsbury. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Later in the first, with the teams skating at four a side, Busi made a big save when a defender blocked the first Simsbury try and the rebound fell to another Trojan player. It looked like Simsbury would get out of the first down just a pair, but Fiona Campbell’s dump from near the blue line found its way through traffic and beat Nigro with 5.6 seconds to go.

Hall/Conard spent the early part of the second playing more defense than offense, but with 11:38 to go, Mia Longman – another freshman – converted on a backhander on a pass from Sweeney to make it a 4-0 game.

That goal seemed to spark Simsbury as the Trojans turned up the offense and put Hall/Conard back on its heels on defense. Of note were two good flurries that challenged Busi. The first came on a glove save and later she was able to knock down a shot and then later cover a loose puck between her pads while on her back in the goal mouth.

Goalie Lauren Busi tracks the puck into her glove. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Simsbury did itself in when they took a too many players on the ice penalty  with 7:15 on the clock in the second period and neither side was able to score for the rest of play.

The third saw the game once again turn into a back-and-forth affair with each side having runs into the attacking zone, but neither being able to score. But in a span of 1:36, Hall/Conard exploded for a pair of goals.

Teagan Cohane picked up a pair of assists in the win over Simsbury. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

First it was Cohane again leading the charge – this time on a 2-on-1 with Grace Mancini. Cohane crashed the net, but Nigro managed to get a pad on her shot. The rebound came right to Mancini on the other side of the net and she deposited into goal for the first goal of her high school career.

Bacon would get her second goal of the game on a strange play that started behind the Simsbury net. She carried the puck from in back of the goal and tried to go short side. Nigro managed to make the stop but could not control the rebound before Bacon was able to slam it home from the tough angle for the 6-0 win.

Hall/Conard snapped a two-game losing streak and will return to the ice Saturday when they travel to face the Woodstock Co-op – a team they shut out 2-0 in early December.

Goalie Lauren Busi and teammates Teagan Poduje (22) and Fiona Campbell (24) shut the door on Simsbury’s offense. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Grace Mancini scores her first career goal on the assist from Teagan Cohane. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Avery Wolfe (19) and Stella Poulin move into the offensive zone. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Hall/Conard has three first period goals to beat Simsbury 6-0. Hall/Conard vs. Simsbury girls hockey. Jan. 17, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

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