BRISTOL—St. Joseph’s Prep arrived at Grundy Arena Monday afternoon eager to get on the ice. Because of Covid-cancellations, the Hawks hadn’t played a game December 21. Upon their arrival, they spent 51 minutes of pent up energy.
The result was a 5-1 Atlantic Prep Athletic Conference win over host Holy Ghost Prep. The win was the first for the Hawks (4-4-1 overall, 1-1-0-2 in the APAC) in four conference starts and an ideal start to the six-week stretch that serves as a prelude to the Founders Cup playoffs and the Flyers Cup tournament.
“I think this is really going to set the tone for the rest of our year,” said sophomore Joey Samango.
Samango scored two goals for the Hawks and assisted on two others, giving him seven goals and two assists in conference play.
Junior Jeffrey Hammond contributed a goal and two assists. “We knew what we had to do,” he said. “Last time we played Ghost (a 5-4 overtime loss on November 12) we were winning 4-1 and then we let up with penalties. We came in knowing what we had to do.
Freshman Jake Schultz scored the game’s first goal 9:26 into the first period. Samango made it a 2-0 game at the 12:59 mark.
Nick Storti made it a 3-0 game to finish off a play that Hammond started 63 seconds into the second session.
At that point, Holy Ghost Prep coach Gup Whiteside made a goaltender change, inserting Colin Mudrick for starter Jason Soule (Soule returned for the third period).
Sean Marshall answered for Holy Ghost Prep (9-6, 1-3-1-0 in conference) just 26 seconds later but Hammond extended the Hawks’ lead with 1:44 left in the period.
Samango added his second goal of the game 11:22 into the third period.
Hammond is pleased with how this year’s edition of the Hawks has evolved through the first half of the season.
“Everyone knows their role,” he said, “and when everyone knows their role, and when everyone plays their role, we win a game. In a 5-1 win, everyone played their role.
St. Joseph’s Prep coach David Giacomin says his team is a more focused group than the team that struggled much of last year.
“This senior class, that’s all they talked about,” he said, “saying ‘We’re a good enough team to compete with everybody, but we’ve got to be ready every game and not just show up.
“So, having a full lineup definitely helps but also having the attitude that you want to be there and you want to compete hard.”
St. Joseph’s Prep 2 2 1—5
Holy Ghost Prep 0 1 0—1
First-period goals: Jacob Schultz (SJP) from Michael Ahearn. 9:26; Joey Samango (SJP) from Dante Passio and Jeffrey Hammond, 12:59
Second-period goals: Nick Storti (SJP) from Liam Mooney, 1:03: Sean Marshall (HGP) from Ciaran Chambers, 1:29; Hammond (SJP) from Mooney and Samango, 15:16
Third-period goals: Samango (SJP) from Hammond and Storti, 11:22
Shots: St. Joseph’s Prep 32, Holy Ghost Prep 30; Saves: Rocco Bruno (SJP) 29, Jason Soule (HGP) 23 and Colin Mudrick (HGP) 4
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Video provided by Nur B. Adam
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