A sloppy second period cost the Hall boys hockey team the win in a game Monday night vs. Tri-Town at Veterans Memorial Rink in West Hartford.

Charles Ganey of Hall is part of the 4-man scrum behind the Tri-Town net. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

By Paul Palmer

Hall’s boys hockey team has been on a roll – winning four straight and tying a fifth game. The momentum has moved them to 5-5-2 on the season and seems to be pointing the team in the right direction.

Monday night, in the second game of a back-to-back with Tri-Town (Hall won in the away game on Friday, 4-3), the Titans started strong but had to settle for a 3-3 tie after a poorly played second period.

“We never got to our game in the second period and we let them dictate the game,” said Hall coach Colin O’Connor.

The coach said he was not extremely happy with how his team started the first, but thought they settled in about midway through the opener. Tri-Town (made up of players from Enfield, Ellington, and Somers) had been pressing the issue, but when they took an icing, things changed. Hall won the faceoff, and Ben Goldstein’s shot was saved by Dylan Sklenar, but he could not find the rebound. Hall’s Nick DeLeo did, and easily slotted it home for the 1-0 lead.

Nick DeLeo of Hall prepares to slide home the loose puck. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Tri-Town tried to respond about 90 seconds later, but Hall sophomore goalie Matt Bonner shut down a pair of attempts off of Titan turnovers. With 8:29 to go in the first, Hall struck again, again off a faceoff. This time the puck went around the boards and Connor McHugh was there to put it away. Up 2-0 might seem like a good place to be, but as wise old former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose always preaches, a two-goal lead is the worst lead to have. Players tend to get comfortable and before they know it, the other team has climbed back in the game. Six minutes after the McHugh goal, Jacob Wojcik scored the Knights’ first of the game and sparked the visitors.

Hall opened the second period in style as just 58 seconds in Dillon McDermott’s blue line wrister found its way through a maze of players and into the back of the net. Hall once again had the two-goal lead. It was Tri-Town that would score the games next two goals – and 1:18 after the McDermott goal for Hall, Ryan Birkenshaw scored the first of his two goals in the period. He took a pass from behind the net and went high glove from in close ,giving Bonner no shot at a save. About five minutes later it was déjà vu as Birkenshaw tapped in a rolling puck that came off the stick of teammate Kade O’Connor, and the game was tied at 3.

Tri-Town goalie Dylan Sklenar gets the snow shower as he makes a save against Hall. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Despite the six combined goals, both Bonner and Sklenar were the difference in neither team taking a loss on the night. Time and time again, the two turned aside strong scoring chances with blockers, pads, and gloves. Both goalies faced at least a single 2-on-1, with Bonner turning it away with a shoulder save. He then shut down a breakaway by calmly sliding across the goal and getting his pad in front of the puck.

“I thought he played great,” said O’Connor of his goalie. “He has been the key for us the last few weeks.”

Hall goalie Matt Bonner makes the pad save. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

For Sklenar, it was his blocker and his glove that stifled the Hall attack. Each team had power play chances but could not make it count as the clock wound down. “I thought in the third we had good chances, but their goalie kept them in the game,” said O’Connor.

In overtime, Hall had the better of play and had a pair of 2-on-1s with Declan Stone and Charles Croce teaming up for tip-in tries that Sklenar stopped. Goldstein had another good chance for Hall from the side of the net, but his jam shot was blocked by a dam of Tri-Town players in the crease.

Declan Stone of Hall gets the shot off. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

With the tie, Hall keeps its six-game unbeaten streak alive – after a 1-5 start to the season by a very young squad. In their first meeting with cross-town West Hartford rival Conard on Dec. 27, the Titans lost 7-2 – but in the second meeting Hall won, 3-1.

“Our goal was to grow as the year went on,” O’Connor said. “We lost a few one-goal games early on but they gave us experience and really jumpstarted us. Now it is starting to pay dividends.”

Next up for Hall is a trip to play E.O. Smith on Saturday at the Toscano Family Ice Forum on UConn’s campus. That game begins at 7:15 p.m.

Joshua Orsey of Hall looks to gain the blueline. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

The puck dents the twine behind goalie Matt Bonner. Hall vs. Tri-Town boys hockey. Jan. 29, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.