Avon, CT – The Pomfret School Griffins traveled to Avon, CT, to take on the #1 ranked Avon Winged Beavers. Avon is the only New England Prep team with only two losses, with one coming in their last contest against Salisbury School. Michael Heinke started in the net for Avon, and Beau Johnson for the Griffins.
Pomfret came out with pace and a plan, limiting the Winged Beaver’s transition opportunities. Johnson made several saves, but two that looked like goals. Brenden Tighe had a chance all alone that Johnson swallowed up. Then, with 51.8 seconds left, Beau flashed a fast glove to stop a Ryan Flaherty rebound chance. Samuel Houston hit a post earlier in the period. Play was in Avon’s favor, but Pomfret also had a few quality looks at the net. There were no penalties or goals as the teams headed to their locker rooms.
Flaherty hit another post less than a minute into the second. The play was much like the first frame, as Johnson made some superb stops, and Pomfret also created chances. Louie Marcellino won a puck race and nearly jammed one home for the Griffins. With 5:18 left, Matthew Itzkovitz ripped a pass from Ethan Chiweshe into the top corner. It was 1-0 Pomfret, which is how the period ended. No penalties were called.
The third period saw each team with power play chances as the whistles came out in the final frame. With 11:18 left in the third, Brenden Tighe snapped a shot, short side shot home with an assist to Alex Pelletier, who wheeled to attract attention and dish the puck off. Both teams had some chances to get the game-winner, and Pomfret had a late power play that generated four shots on goal, which Heinke turned away. The game went to overtime, and four seconds into a power play, the Winged Beavers’ Tighe popped home the game-winner from Pelletier and Michael Munroe.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling
Three Stars
First: Brenden Tighe (Avon)
Second: Beau Johnson (Pomfret)
Third: Alex Pelletier (Avon)
