All good things must come to an end, Prep ends Hamden's season 5-2

This past Saturday was a beautiful day for hockey. When we arrived at Bennett Rink in West Haven, the line was already out the door. It was quite the scene.

When you're from Hamden, it is almost in your genes to want to beat Prep. Technically, we should want to beat every team, but when we face off Prep, the game gets put on a pedestal.

Prior to this game, the season series between both teams stood even at 1 game a piece. Some say we stole a victory off a Prep mistake, I say we beat them. In the second game, they beat us. And now, for the final meeting.

The minute we stepped on the ice, I couldn't even hear myself think. Between Fairfield's bomb squad and our own fan section, led by the recharged Matt Degiacomo, the die-hard Nicky Z, and superfan Paulie D, the atmosphere was that of a state final.

Prep scored first off a wrap around, but Jimmy Burt immediately took the puck off the pursuing faceoff and beat Prep goaltender John Gagliani short side to tie the game. The game was the fastest I've experienced it, as both teams were flying up and down the ice.

In the second, Matt Hoff shutout the Jesuits and freshman phenom Michael Lee blasted one by Gagliani on the powerplay to take the lead 2-1. We held on to the lead for the remainder of the period and prepared for the third.

After we killed off a penalty to begin the third, we earned another penalty that we couldn't kill off which resulted in a Prep powerplay goal to tie the game at 2. Just as we were back to full strength, we were put at yet another disadvantage thanks to a five minute misconduct penalty. We were able to almost kill it all off until the final seconds, where they snuck a disheartening one through Hoff's fivehole. 3-2 Prep.

We fought until the end, but Gagliani and his defense didn't break. We tried to pull our goalie on two separate occasions, but they scored on the empty net both times.

Just like that, our season ended. I can honestly say I have zero regrets through my four years as a Dragon. Although it would have been nice to go out with a bang, two out of three titles isn't bad by any means.

The loss was taken differently by every player, but I speak for myself and my teammates in saying what a ride it has been, and I thank them for that. If this is the worst thing that happens to me in the next ten years of my life, I'll be one happy sailor.

Thank you also to my family and coaches who have supported me whatever the occasion may be.

More thanks to our fans, who were at every game. I thank you for that, and I can't imagine playing one period without hearing the mothers scream or the students chant.

Also, thank you to Mr. Morelli and Mr. Nowak of the Register who have made this all possible. I've had a blast.

Best of luck to Prep and the rest of the teams in their quest for a title. It is a beautiful thing when you win, trust me. I usually don't like to post a prediction, but if you asked me who is going to win, I must say New Canaan. Coming this far without a loss while dealing with all they have been through this season, it seems like it is just meant for them to be perfect.

Lastly, I thank you all for reading this week in and week out. The support has been incredible and the numbers are greater than I ever thought they'd be, and I appreciate that more than words can express.

Be well,
R.J. Ugolik

Hamden advances, drops West Haven 5-3

Before a front of a packed crowd inside Lou Astorino's house, the first round of the CIAC began for both Hamden and West Haven.

In the first five minutes of the game, Nicky Amarone buried goal number one thanks to linemates Paulie Amarone and Justin MacGregor. West Haven quickly answered back, and during their celebration, rowdy West Haven fans shattered the glass behind the players bench. Play was suspended while MAB Rink Management LLC took control of the situation.

We returned to the ice at the 11 minute mark, and shortly after play resumed the Blue Devils scored another quick goal to take a one goal lead with them heading into the second.

We continued to pressure the West Haven defenseman who had visions of chipping the puck through air almost every shift. All three lines made sure that wouldn't happen, and with great forechecking came three goals. Defenseman Brandon Dadio as well as captain Jimmy Burt had each of themselves a goal, while Nicky added to the total with his second of the night. The score now stood at 4-2, but we knew it was closer than it seemed, as we have witnessed them stage an unthinkable comeback earlier in the season.

The third period saw good back and forth movement, but the score remained the same. With under a minute to go, the Westies won a defensive zone faceoff and caught our defense sleeping as forward Mike Troiano stretched through the middle of the ice and beat goaltender Matt Hoff to bring the game to within one. With one minute remaining, some thought the Westies could pose another last minute threat.

Off the following face off though, Nick Amarone had ideas of his own. Nicky skated through the West Haven defense and buried the empty netter to seal his second hattrick of the season, and more importantly the victory. Withington had 41 saves for another impressive showing, and his counterpart Matt Hoff had 16 making key saves when it mattered.

Props to Paulie D, Big Nicky Z, and all our fans for making it the atmosphere it was for our last game in our home barn. It was truly a thrilling game, and a great way to start the playoffs for us.

After, winger William Reilly remarked how much fun he had, he then added, "I wonder what Ingalls is like." Well Billy, we'll try to get you there.

Saturday we face-off against the Jesuits of Fairfield Prep, and we're preparing for a battle, to say the least.

Wetmore and crew shutout Green Knights 2-0

This past Wednesday evening brought tears of joy to many parents. Senior night was a success, and on behalf of our team I would like to thank our parents and all others involved in the past four years of our hockey careers.

After the joyous senior ceremonies, in which we were able to watch senior goaltender Justin Wetmore skate to the blue line during starting lineups, the puck was dropped and the battle began. We knew that a win would bring us home ice advantage next Wednesday, and to play one more game at the Lou was motivation for the entire squad.

The first period remained a 0-0 tie. We played well but weren't converting, as ND goalie Greg Harney was shutting down anything that came his way. On the other end of the ice, Wetmore saw 5 shots, all of which he stopped. The kid is perfect for his varsity career. In the next few days check MaxPreps, where you will see Wetmore stand atop the goalie leaderboard, with a .000 GAA. Way to go Wet.

In the second, we took a 1-0 lead as sophomore sensation tipped a shot through Harney's fivehole. Speaking of Reilly, he has been clutch as of late. When asked about his recent success, he responded, "It feels great to go from a fourth line grocery stick to WELI player of the game." Billy would also like to thank his "puckbunnies" for all their support.

As for the third period, Hoff remained strong and held on for the shutout, his second of the year. The Knights fought hard, but let up a Paul Amarone empty netter and that sealed the deal. Home ice next round. Smiles all around.

As we gear up for the postseason, we are not sure who we face first. One thing is for sure though. Twice was nice. But what does three feel like?

My biggest fan; Edward "Poppy" Ugolik

            With Hamden being the hockey town it is, our fan base is huge, and for that we are grateful. Many qualify as a potential #1 fan. In my mind however, it is clear whom I would choose.

            His name is Edward Ugolik, and he is my grandfather. He began watching me play hockey the first time I laced up my skates at the age of 7. I want to say there was a streak of about five years in which he didn’t miss a single game. He has traveled across New England for me. When I was younger, on days when I would stay home from school sick, he would still attend practices and report back to me on how the team was doing. Some claim they live for a specific thing, but this man truly lived to watch my siblings and I compete and prosper.

            Every weekend we would go through our routine. He would pick me up in his olive green Chrysler, and then head to Hamden Sports Center to get my skates sharpened. Now, I am an employee there and every time I see a child come in with his grandfather to sharpen skates I want to tell the kid how lucky he is.

            Next stop was the rink, where I was usually the first one there. To be late for something was a sin to him. He was never big on pep talks, but made sure I didn’t leave the car without exchanging winks. I knew what that wink meant, and tried my best to make him proud. Win or lose, he would be waiting for me afterwards with a blue Powerade, as well as his thoughts on the game.

Unlike other grandfathers, he never told me I was the greatest just because I was his grandson. I heard his truthful opinion whether I played my best or my worst. Brutal honesty. That is what my grandfather was all about.

He has taught me a countless number of things. He was the one who taught me how to whistle, which I often catch myself doing during games when I think about him. He also taught me about character. He was the same person no matter who was around. I loved that about him. To be perfectly honest, there wasn’t a thing I didn’t love about him.

As I’ve progressed through the ranks of hockey he has been right by my side. From the times he picked me up for early morning clinics through the day he handed me my letterman jacket, he had the biggest smile on his face. He was able to witness my teammates and I win two state titles, and did his best to follow this current season while he was in and out of the hospital. He was able to witness me get accepted into the school of my dreams, Trinity College. He was also able to watch me skate out in the beginning of my senior season with an “A” on my chest. I think he was more proud of anything I did than I ever was myself.

Since I began playing for Hamden, he has been confined to a wheelchair. He never let this get in his way, as he sat in the front row of every rink with a handicapped section. My favorite part of games is when I skate by the corner and exchange winks.  Though now he isn’t physically there, I still wink because I know he is winking back.

Poppy passed away today at the young age of 82. For any who knew him, you’ll get a kick out of this:

This morning, he was being his stubborn self when he told the nurse he didn’t want to die in the hospital. They agreed, and put him into the ambulance and on the way to hospice, the driver passed by the old Ugolik house on Woodin Street, and then lastly the Hamden Rink. He became non-responsive as the ambulance cruised by the Lou Astorino Arena. Coincidence? I’ll leave that up for discussion. I like to say he died where his heart was. What is definite though is that he did it his own way, and that is Poppy in a nutshell.

I’ll miss you Poppy, you meant more to me than you ever imagined.

Dragons shut out Blue Devils 7-0

The Hamden-West Haven rivalry is one of the oldest in the state. Knowing the history behind it all, it's an honor every time we play them. Earlier in the season they fought back hard to a 3-3 tie. Coming into this game, we did not want a repeat of our last meeting.

Within 10 seconds of the puck being dropped, nifty winger Patrick Lynch got things started right as he put one over the paddle of goalie J.P. Withington's stick. Carignan and Burt had helpers on the goal. After a terrific penalty killing display on our part, we were able to keep a 1-0 lead after the first.

Thinking a one goal lead was not enough, Paul Amarone and Timmy Lee added goals of their own, both thanks to their linemate, crafty playmaker Justin MacGregor. Then, after another huge penalty kill, defensemen Brandon Dadio and Mike Lee skated up ice and fed Pat Lynch for a beautiful one-timer, his second of the night. The second period ended 4-0. During the intermission we learned we would be without center Clifford Carignan due to a pulled groin, and Coach made it clear that we could not lay back like we did before.

And thankfully, we did not. After continuous forechecking, Burt caught Withington out of his net, and buried one from the top of the circle to stretch the lead to five. After this, Withington pulled himself. Immediately fellow defender Theodore Kennedy quoted the late Herb Brooks by saying, "You just put the best goalie in the world on the bench, boys." He was referring to the last time we played them when their goaltender played one of the best games we've ever seen.

Jim Burt followed up with another goal making it 6-0. Then Pat Lynch completed the hat trick, and fanatic Paul DiGoia threw his hat in celebration. The game ended 7-0, and Matt Hoff fought until the end to earn his first shutout of the year.

Scoring seven goals was huge in regards to our confidence, and the fact that everyone got a shift was another plus. Hopefully this will carry over to Wednesday as we prepare for Winchester.

Hamden battles East Haven for 4-3 victory

The East Haven and Hamden rivalry has dated almost as far back as that of West Haven and Hamden. With these old school rivalries, it is almost a given that the game will be a test of physicality, and that it was.

Let us start from the beginning. As soon as the puck dropped, it seemed like we were going to stay inside the Yellow Jacket's zone for a good amount of time. For a while we did, and Nicky Amarone lit the lamp again.

With under five minutes to go in the first, East Haven threw the puck deep in our zone, and engaged their forecheckers. What seemed to be an innocent dump-in led to a defensive zone breakdown, and the Easties slammed one past Varga to tie the game at 1. Though tied, we had no penalties in the first period, which is a relatively impressive feat.

In the second, the penalties came, and they came from both sides. Things got chippy right away, but forward Clifford Carignan put it all behind him, literally and figuratively, as he streaked up the left side, received a pass from linemate Jimmy Burt, and faked goalie Sam Gavigan to regain the lead at 2-1. The period ended all square, as Varga made a handful of big saves to keep it that way.

In the third, we let East Haven jump on us early, and they scored two unanswered goals. Paul Amarone expressed how he felt about this by answering back late in the third, tying the game at three. With just over five minutes to go, Hamden defenseman Mike Lee broke up-ice and "dangled the carrot" as coach would say, beating Gavigan to the right and taking the lead back, 4-3.

As the final seconds dwindled down on the clock, East Haven had a few chances but couldn't push the game into overtime. The final buzzer sounded and immediately it looked like a scene from Slapshot.

The piece I wrote in today's paper was about keeping composure. Unfortunately, it seems nobody in attendance read it. After a late tomahawk to the back of Burt's leg, the benches erupted. As coaches and managers tried to cool the situation, we were ordered to leave the ice without shaking the other teams hands, kind of disappointing as I thought it would have been nice to see a few friends.

Out of the scrum, we fortunately only lost two men to major penalties. Tomorrow I expect a major team meeting to occur in an attempt to battle the frequent loss of composure. All things aside, we pulled out another win, and that is always a good thing.

Saturday we face West Haven, a game sure to stay true to the title of "the ultimate high school hockey rivalry in Connecticut" at Bennett Rink.

Hamden clinches playoff berth with 4-1 victory over South Windsor

After a long week of hockey in which we were searching for our eighth win to secure a spot in the state tournament, we finally found it after defeating the South Windsor Bobcats 4-1.

The Bobcats, previously 13-2, have been tearing up the northern half of the state lately. We were aware, and prepared for a battle.

Sophomore goaltender Matt Hoff got the nod, and he made the most of it. After a game off last night, he didn't seem shaky at all, as he turned away every shot that came his way in the first period, and the second for that matter.

Everything didn't go perfect though, as we once again were taking dumb penalties at times. Tonight however, we were able to kill off every penalty we were called for. In addition to holding them to nothing on the power play, Nick Amarone took it upon himself to score two of his three goals shorthanded. The first came at the end of the opening period, in which he skated through the entire line of South Windsor defenders, and slipped the puck through the opposing goaltender's five-hole to finish the beautiful individual effort.

After the game, I asked him what he was thinking. Nick replied, "Backhand, forehand fiver. Blind man celly. Da boy got cake." What a character.

In the following period, Nick continued where he left off, this time thanks to the efforts of Clifford Carignan. After blocking another Bobcat power play attempt, Carignan and Amarone skated down the length of the ice and connected for Amarone's second of the evening.

Our next goal came on the power play, where Pat Lynch banged home a rebound to stretch the lead to three. Shortly after, "Tricky Nicky" completed the hat trick with helpers from line mates MacGregor and Paulie Amarone.

Heading into the third period with a four goal lead, South Windsor made sure they weren't going to be shutout, as Kyle Benson fired a shot through a screen on Hoff and it found its way through. Towards the end, thanks to the play of Wilson, Ruocco, Reilly, Callahan, and Quick, the score remained 4-1 and we finally saw the victory we had been waiting for.

From this victory, we move on to face East Haven at the Lou, and hope that the momentum from tonight can carry over.