By Mike Kelly.
(April 6, 2022) — The defending 2021 Shoreline Conference Champion Haddam Killingworth Cougars took care of business Tuesday evening in the first game of the 2022 season, defeating conference rival Morgan 5-1 on the Huskies’ home turf. The game was a low- scoring, defensive affair. HK set the tone early, shutting out Morgan during a one-minute man-down situation late in the first period. Goalie Braden Civiello was a brick wall and, throughout the contest, the Cougar offense displayed a deliberate efficiency in their attack, for the most part taking good care of the ball and getting clean shots on almost every possession.
The Cougars took the lead midway through the first period with a shot fired by attackman Corey Phipps from the top right of the cage, with an assist by Nolan Braren, for the 1-0 HK lead. From there the Cougars never really looked back. Early in the second quarter, attackman Tyler Gagliardi got free above the right post and fired a step-down shot that found the back of the net, 2-0 HK, with another assist from Braren. Two possessions later, midfielder Charlie Maxwell punched one in from the top right, again with an assist from Braren, pushing the HK lead to 3-0. After halftime, both teams traded possessions without scoring in the third.
Morgan scored their only goal midway through the fourth period to make it 3-1 HK. Shortly thereafter, middie Braren decided to get in on the scoring action as well, scorching a salty overhand stepdown from 20 yards out that the Huskies goalie likely never saw. 4-1 HK. Late in the period d-pole Matteo Piacenti added an insurance goal on a coast-to-coast saunter, game over, HK wins 5-1.
Photos by Liz Griswold.
