Lions Ice Titans

The North Hunterdon Ice Hockey Club comprised of high school students that attend North Hunterdon High School opened their season with home and away victories against the Jr Titans, winning the first game 3-2 at Wall Sports Arena and the second game 10-5 at Protec Ponds in Somerset.

Freshman Brian Clancey opened the scoring in the first when he poked in a loose puck in a scramble in front of the net. North then went up 2-0 in the second when Greg Garcia dangled the defensemen and roofed a backhander over the goalie after taking a pass from Jordan Gionas and Mark Schwanda. The Titans fought back and tied the game at two a piece with just 1:46 remaining in the third. North answered on the next shift as defensemen Mark Schwanda scored with just 57 seconds left with a pretty end to end rush. Goaltender Eric Sydow made 14 saves in the victory for North.

In the second game the teams burned up the score board scoring 15 goals in an up and down game for North. The Titans opened the scoring five minutes into to the first which was quickly answered with a Mark Schwanda blast from the top of the left circle. The second period started with a 1-1 tie before Ben Marchesini went wild scoring a natural hat trick in just the first four minutes of the stanza. Wyatt Kunzman made it 5-1 with a helper from Jimmy Pytell before the Titans came back with four quick goals late in the period to tie the game.

North stepped it up in the third period with Alec Schleicher scoring the game's second hat trick, the last goal coming with just 14 ticks on the clock. Greg Mustillio and Mark Schwanda also scored to give the Lions their second victory in as many starts on the season. Goaltender Kyle Fischbach playing with a pulled hamstring that limited his mobility made 18 saves for the victory.

Prior to the game the team elected Schwanda, Marchesini and Mustillio as their team captain and alternates and the trio came through with six goals and three assists.

North's next game is Friday, December 12 at 4:00 P.M. against Blair Academy at Chill Out Ice Arena in Hackensack. The North Hunterdon Ice Hockey Club is not supported or affiliated in any way with the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. (But it ought to be!)

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