Boys Hockey Earns Possible Share of Third Place Trophy

The  boys hockey team topped A. L. Johnson Tuesday night to claim a possible share of the third place trophy in the annual Cron Tournament.

If the Summit boys varsity hockey team had beaten Mendham in the opening game, they could have contended for the top spot in the tournament. However, they bounced back to beat two teams, including a determined A.L. Johnson squad, 4-2.

In the first period, both teams came out with a lot of emotion and intensity and players were giving and taking hard checks up and down the ice. Not many shots were being taken until Johnson struck first with a goal in the early stages of the period.

"Our guys were standing around in the first period and part of the second, not taking many shots," said Head coach Keith Nixon. "I told them to play smarter and stop trying to hit everybody."

In the second period Freshman Liam McLaughlin got Summit on the board with a power play goal early in the period, with an assist from Eric Stabler and Frank Lawrence, to tie the game 1-1.

Later in the period, Stabler, who had two goals in one assist in the game, scored an unassisted goal to give the Hilltoppers their first lead, 2-1.

"Coach told us to come out hitting and get the puck to the net more," Stabler said. "We put more pressure on them and I got a good shot that managed to trickle into the net."

Toward the end of the period Stabler struck again, on a feed by Liam McLaughlin, to give Summit a better cushion with a 3-1 lead.

"On my second goal I got a great pass from Liam on a three-on-two break.  I fired it at the net and it went in," Stabler said.

The game was intense and lots of penalties were awarded for slashing, roughing and tripping. At one point at the beginning of the third period, Johnson had two players in the penalty box at once, giving Summit a two-man advantage.

The third period Summit looked smoother and more in control until Stabler got called for slashing and A.L. Johnson took advantage by scoring their second goal of the game.

Summit bounced back on a terrific breakaway goal by senior Mike Tsiang to ice it for the Hilltoppers, giving them a 4-2 lead with just minutes to play.

"I just cut up the middle of the ice past two defenders when (Mike) Nyitay hit me with a solid pass," Tsiang said. "I took the shot top-right into the net and got lucky."

Summit is now 3-1 and plays Scotch Plains at the USA arena in Union on Saturday, December 18 at 6:20 p.m.

"This game woke them up a bit," Nixon said. "Our guys worked hard together and in the third period we got down to basics and did a better job with the puck."