Sheehan holds off Lyman Hall - Titans’ Kane, Trojans’ Jacques match hat tricks
By John Pettit
Meriden Record-Journal
February 17, 2008
Brendan Kane scores one of his three goals as the Sheehan Titans defeated Lyman Hall High School 5-4.
NORTH BRANFORD, CONNECTICUT - The Sheehan hockey team entered Saturday night’s game against rival Lyman Hall with a 14-3 overall record. The Trojans came into the game 1-16. On paper, it was a mismatch. On the ice, it was a much different story.
Lyman Hall gave the Titans all they could handle at the Northford Ice Pavilion. Sheehan jumped out to a 4-0 lead, then hung on for a 5-4 victory in a physical game played before a boisterous crowd.
“We had good momentum and we got a little sloppy,” Sheehan coach Ralph Shaw said. “Lyman Hall is not going to roll over and quit. It’s a cross-town rivalry and they’re going to play down to the final buzzer. They did.”
Freshman left wing Nick Copozzi gave Sheehan a 1-0 edge off an assist from center Tyler Timek. Senior right wing Brendan Kane followed with a natural hat trick — three straight goals — to stake the Titans to a 4-0 lead.
“The quick goals got our confidence up, but it’s a rivalry and we knew Lyman Hall wanted to get us,” Kane said.
Indeed, Lyman Hall would not go away. The Trojans got a goal from junior center Lloyd Jacques, who also had a hat trick Saturday, with eight seconds remaining in the opening period.
Lyman Hall carried that momentum to the second period. Just 19 seconds into the stanza, Chris Bolduc scored to cut the Sheehan lead in half. Jacques scored again off a feed from Bolduc to pull Lyman Hall to within 4-3.
That’s when the action really started to heat up. Sheehan defenseman Vinnie Nguyen was given a five-minute major penalty and disqualified for fighting after a scuffle with Lyman Hall’s Adam McKay in front of the Titans’ goal. Mc Kay earned a two-minute roughing penalty.
“I expect my guys to be more disciplined than that,” Shaw said.
The Trojans, however, could not capitalize. Instead, Timek scored with Sheehan two-players short to put his team up 5-3.
“It was a huge goal,” Shaw said. “That’s a goal we definitely needed. It was shorthanded, so it was a good situation for us.”
Jacques pulled Lyman Hall to within 5-4 with a goal with 4:35 remaining in the third period and the Trojans pulled their goalie late, but they couldn’t pull off the upset.
“Our boys, after being down 4-0, I thought they responded well,” Lyman Hall coach Tim Belcher said. “They’ve battled every game and I’m proud of them. The record is tough to take, but we’ve been in every game. We’ll rebound.”
Sheehan goalie Cameron Sidwell made 20 saves, while Lyman Hall goalie R.J. Negri had 18. Timek finished with three assists.