Hockey heads into new week on four-game win streak
What a week it was for Colts on the ice.
With three games on the road, it was a big test for the team as they looked to carry the momentum obtained from the victory against RFH throughout their road trip. The second-ranked Colts started this three-game stretch on Monday, December 13th, at Gloucester Catholic to face off against the fifth-ranked Rams.
This game was as tight as it could be for a very long time. Entering the third period, the teams were knotted up at 2, a scenario with which CBA was very familiar. The Colts, however, would not settle for a tie. With the game now tied up at 3, senior forward Evan Brown was able to score a pair of goals within a four-minute span to give the Colts a 5-3 lead.
Gloucester would be able to get one back with just over a minute left, but it would be too little too late as CBA hung on to claim a massive 5-4 victory. And despite what the scoreboard says, senior goaltender John Donohoe had an incredible night with 39 saves. The Colts’ offense was buzzing this game, with a total of 46 shots on goal, it seemed that the Colts were starting to hit their stride.
A major event took place on Tuesday night, despite the Colts having the day off. The Delbarton Green Wave, which was ranked first in the state, lost to Don Bosco. By Wednesday morning, the rankings had changed, and CBA took Delbarton’s spot at the top. When they took the ice that afternoon against Pope John, they were the first-ranked team in the state.
The Colts did not let this new ranking lead to any overconfidence, they played this game just as intensely as they had shown throughout the year. And this definitely made itself apparent on the scoresheet, junior forward Christian Chouha exploded with four goals, the most by a Colt in a single-game yet this season, as CBA cruised to a 6-1 win. The Colts would have to play again the next day against the Marauders of St. Peter’s Prep to close off the week.
CBA was now riding a three-game win streak as they took the ice on Thursday, December 16th, and they looked to extend this streak and end the week on the right foot. In the first period, they got off to a hot start as junior forward Leighton Biesiadecki scored midway into the period, and then sophomore forward Thomas Mantellino scored a minute later. St. Peter’s would be able to get one back before the period ended, and the Colts went into the locker room up 2-1.
In the second period, it seemed as if it was going to be a period highlighted by defense and stellar goaltending, but junior forward Aidan Kane would not have any of that, as he was able to put the puck in the back of the net giving the Colts a two-goal lead. With one more period to go in CBA’s road trip, the Colts were up 3-1.
Quickly into the final period, St. Peter’s Prep was able to make it a one-goal game, and CBA hoped that they would not squander this lead and all the momentum they had created over the previous week. It seemed that the Colts have learned from their mistakes earlier in the season as they played incredible defense throughout the remainder of the period. And two power-play goals by senior Zach Wagnon within the span of one minute and thirteen seconds would ice the win for CBA. They came off the ice with a 5-2 victory and had extended their win streak to four games.
Throughout this week, the Colts did everything that could have been asked of them, playing at their best when it mattered the most and coming away from the week with three well-earned road victories. The Colts will only play one more game before Christmas break when they take on the Princeton Day Panthers at Jersey Shore Arena on Monday, December 20th, at 4:25 P.M. This game will be streamed live on the CBA Digital Network, through either the CBA app or letsgocolts.com.
The Colts will look to improve their win streak up to five games, as the Panthers look to put a monumental victory on their resume. But if CBA keeps playing with the same intensity and dedication that they have shown for the past four games, then it will be very difficult for any team to take down this first-ranked team.
