Three-peat: Boys Hockey Crushes Crusaders For Third Game This Season

The Game: The Arthur L. Johnson Crusaders (7-11-0) ice hockey team took the ice against the Summit Hilltoppers (15-2-3). The Crusaders suffered two previous losses earlier in the season to the Hilltoppers and were searching for revenge in game three as the regular season came to a close. However, Summit came out with the victory, 7-1.

The Players: Summit’s Mike Tsiang got things started early when he scored the first goal of the game just over two minutes into the first period. Summit's Eric Stabler and Tyler Young were credited with the assist. Then, with just under five minutes left in the first, Liam McLaughlin added another Hilltopper goal and sent the game into the second period with the Crusaders facing a two goal deficit.

Early in the second period Johnson’s Matt Gray gave the Crusaders some hope with a goal assisted by Joe Lanza and Sal Demarzo, cutting into the Summit lead and bringing the Crusaders within one. Summit then went on an offensive assault, netting four goals before the second period came to an end. Will Brenn led the Hilltoppers with two goals, while Jeff Wycoff and Timmy Yager contributed a goal each. Yager’s goal came with just 13 seconds left in the period, giving Summit a sizable 6-1 lead, and killing any hope the Crusaders  had for a comeback going into the third period.

The final goal of the game came off the stick of Summit’s Frank Lawrence halfway through the third period, only to further ensure a 7-1 Hilltopper victory. The Crusaders were out shot 38 – 18 by Summit, leaving Johnson’s goalie Nick Galatioto extremely vulnerable in the net, defending shot after shot. Even with the onslaught of shots on net, Galatioto was still able make some great saves, but the Crusaders’ offense couldn’t get things going, leaving their defense and goalie to fend off a ferocious Hilltopper offensive attack.

Up Next: The Hilltoppers play the first round of the Union County Tournament on Monday at 8:30 p.m. at the Warinanco Ice Rink in Roselle against Dayton High School.