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. Â 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.
![](https://i0.wp.com/hk-now.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Lacrosse-Braren-small.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1)
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. Â 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.
![](https://i0.wp.com/hk-now.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/lacrosse-phipps-small.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1)
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.