Conard came back to tie Northeastern Saturday afternoon in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

Brady Narus scored :27 into the second period to pull Conard even with the Northeastern Shamrocks, and neither side would score again as the game ended 2-2.

Conard – the defending state champions – came in unbeaten on the season and having posted two straight shutouts. The Shamrocks came into Saturday’s game off their first win over the season, a 4-2 win over Hall.

It was Northeastern striking first when Mason Cahill sent a shot in from the point. It went wide of Chase Emery’s net but kicked off the boards and out to Brayden Cunningham who scored.

About five minutes later it was Northeastern scoring again, this time on a goal that Emery would love to get back. Joe Marchese flipped in a high shot that Emery attempted to glove. Instead, the puck deflected over the glove, into the air, landing behind Emery and into the net and it was a stunning two-goal deficit for the Red Wolves.

“As a coach your biggest fear is players overlooking this game and looking ahead to Monday’s tough matchup with East Haven,” said Jason Olson, the Conard coach.

Conard would get on the board on the powerplay with under one minute to go in the opening period. Luke Shaffer let a shot go on net, and Jack Eisenberg was in front of the net and tipped the puck past goalie Colin Forte.

Off the opening face-off to start the second, Conard moved the puck quickly into the offensive zone. Torin McGoldrick won the fight for the puck along the boards with two Shamrock players. He moved the puck towards the net and found Narus crashing in from the point. The senior forward managed to bang it past Forte and the game was even at 2.

“It was not our best game, but we did come back from down 2-0,” Olson said of his team’s efforts. For much of the rest of the second, Northeastern kept Conard bottled up in their own defensive zone, not allowing the Red Wolves to form up an offensive transition game. Northeastern scored the potential go-ahead goal at 4:04 but it was waived off on a penalty call against the Shamrocks.

The Red Wolves had the better of the offensive play in the third period, but could not score. Narus hit the lower part of the post just :30 in, and later Northeastern’s defense answered the call by breaking up 2-on-1 and 3-on-2 chances. Both Emery and Forte were called on to make some solid saves to keep their teams in it as the game headed for an 8-minute overtime period.

It was Emery who was tested first, making a save on a shot and another on the rebound with a crowd in front of his net. Forte had two big saves at his end of the ice. The first came on McGoldrick who ripped a slapper on net off a Conard face-off win. Forte took it on the crest and smothered the puck for no rebound. Then with 1:00 to go Porter Anderson steamed in from the right side with the puck, but Forte held the post and knocked away the shot with his stick.

“The energy was there, but we just didn’t have our full legs,” Olson said after the game.

The week ahead will be a big test for the 6-0-2 Red Wolves as they host East Haven in a huge matchup on Monday night at Veterans Memorial Rink. East Haven is 8-0-1 and ranked No. 1 in Division II schools, having won four straight heading into Saturday night’s game with Woodstock Academy. Next Saturday it will be the 9-0-1 and No. 1 team in Division 3, E.O.Smith-Tolland, coming to West Hartford for the showdown with the fifth-ranked Red Wolves. It is the first of a home-and-home series that concludes on Feb. 8.

“We’ve been consistent,” said Olson. “But we are about to be tested with a tough schedule of games coming rapid fire.”

Game notes:

Saturday’s game honored West Hartford’s first responders. A color guard from the town’s police and fire departments were on the ice before the game. Between the first and second periods there was a puck-chuck that was part of the days fundraising for the 100 Club of Connecticut which supports the families of fallen first responders. The Friends of Conard Hockey sponsored the tribute and fundraising.

First Responders present the colors before today’s Conard hockey game. Fund raising for families of fallen 1st responders going on at game.⁦@WeHartford⁩ ⁦@CHSWHAthletics⁩ pic.twitter.com/oqyq4J8SYk

— We-Ha.Com (@WeHartford) January 25, 2025

Before the game Northeastern Shamrocks coach Ken Kennedy and Conard assistant coach Joseph Accarpio were honored for their work as first responders. Kennedy is a retired police officer Accarpio is a Plainville police officer.

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.