Hockey team extends win streak to seven games, remains undefeated
What an exhilarating week it was for the Colts on the ice. Even though CBA only played two games over the past week, they definitely lived up to the hype and showed once again why they are the top-ranked team in the state.
One of the games of the season took place on Wednesday, January 5th, when second-ranked Don Bosco came to Jersey Shore Arena trying to be the first team to take down the Colts this season. With 2020 NJ player of the year John Donohoe in the crease for CBA, the Ironmen certainly had their work cut out for them.
Don Bosco was able to strike first after a broken play caused some chaos, which allowed Don Bosco to get off a shot that got just over the glove of Donohoe. CBA went into the first intermission down 1-0, one of the rare times where the Colts were down at any point throughout the season.
The score remained the same until about a minute left in the second period. After the Colts had just killed their third penalty of the game, defensemen Pat Reilly passed the puck up the ice to Christian Chouha, who fanned on his shot but the puck bounced over to Antonio Donohue, who brilliantly passed the puck to Leighton Biesiadecki who buried the puck in the back of the net and tied the game.
A beautiful sequence for the Colts ignited a spark in the team, as the teams went into the locker room tied up at 1 after two periods, it was clear that the momentum had started to turn in favor of the Colts.
For about the first ten minutes of the final period, both goaltenders stood strong, and it seemed that these teams might end the game in a deadlocked tie. Enter Zach Wagnon. Cutting to the net, he was tripped by an Ironman with five minutes to go, giving CBA an excellent power-play opportunity.
On the power-play, Wagnon got the puck at the top of the zone, his gorgeous stickhandling caused a Don Bosco player to fall to the ice, and he never regained his balance. Wagnon saw this and found his shooting lane, ripped the puck over the Don Bosco goalie’s shoulder, and it hit the crossbar before finding the back of the net. Another highlight-reel goal by Wagnon gave the Colts a 2-1 lead with four minutes to go.
Don Bosco pulled their goalie with three minutes left, getting an extra attacker on the ice in an effort to tie the game, but it was Wagnon who got control of the puck in the neutral zone, and he backhanded it into the net. Wagnon’s second goal of the game sealed CBA’s 3-1 victory, a massive win for the Colts.
The next day the Colts were the away team as they took on Middletown South. There was a lot more scoring in this game than the day prior, and fortunately, most of that scoring was done by the Colts.
After a tight 2-2 first period, CBA exploded in the second putting three more goals on the board and taking a commanding 5-2 lead into the final period. In the third, CBA would add to their lead and won the game 7-3, extending their win streak to seven consecutive games and remaining one of the few undefeated teams left in New Jersey.
An impressive feat that must be discussed from this game was by senior forward Ray Cartigiano, who led the way for CBA with three goals, giving him the hat trick. Wagnon put two in himself, which made him the first Colt to hit the 10-goal mark this season, and still a long way to go in this season.
Next week the Colts will take the ice three times, they will start on Monday, January 10th when they play St. John Vianney at Jersey Shore Arena. Then another huge game when Delbarton comes to JSA the following Wednesday, the teams ended in a tie the previous time they met, and they both look to come out on top this time. The Colts will end the week the next day when they go play Middletown North.
With another impressive week for the Colts in the books, surely the rest of the state has taken notice and knows that it will be very challenging to take down CBA. The Colts look to come out of next week having achieved a remarkable ten-game win streak, but more importantly, to hang on to that coveted #1 ranking in the state.
