Hilton and Brighton/ER/HF-L play to 2-2 tie in hockey opener

By TIM IRVING

“Going on the ice tonight and I’ve been doing this a long time, the goose bumps I had, it felt like I was playing again.”

Hilton coach Chris Monfiletto and his Cadets opened the hockey season with a full crowd at Lakeshore Ice Rink for the first time in two years and played the Brighton/East Rochester/HF-L team to a 2-2 tie in a hard-hitting, well-played game.

1:45 into the game, the Bruins already on a power play, Nolan Gangarosa broke in two-on-one with Peter Burslem and the HF-L senior scored the first goal of the new season.

Nolan Gangarosa hits Peter Burslem on the 2-on-1 on the power play and @brightonbruins @ERBombers @HFLCSDAthletics has a 1-0 lead @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/43fPCRiE9o

— Tim Irving (@Irvish5) December 1, 2021

With three minutes left in the first period, the Cadets at the tail end of a five-on-three power play, Braden O’Neill broke in on the Bruins net and scored and equalizer.

Braden O'Neill scores on a 5 on 3 power play and @HiltonHockey ties the game at 1-1. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/HP2RfUPW7i

— Tim Irving (@Irvish5) December 1, 2021

The game remained 1-1 as both goalies made big saves, Hilton senior Chris Sidoti and East Rochester junior Madeline Eaton back stopped their defenses with midseason form.

With four minutes left, Chance Bears got free on a breakaway for the Bruins, Sidoti made the stop but Bears backhanded the rebound from behind the net back in front to Hayden Meehan for the go-ahead goal.

Chance Bears on the break gets stopped but backhands in front for Hayden Meehan…Evan Fish immediately equalizer for @HiltonHockey 3:30 left in the second 2-2. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/zmytO5Z7rc

— Tim Irving (@Irvish5) December 1, 2021

But 39 seconds later, Peyton Vella kept the puck in the zone and fired a shot on Eaton. The puck caromed to Evan Fish, who fired home the answer.

Despite several power play opportunities at both ends, the netminders yielded no more goals through the third period and overtime.

Eaton, coming off a standout field hockey season for the Bombers, made 27 saves and Sidoti 23.

Eaton with a big save on the penalty kill with 3 minutes left and tied 2-2. @ERBombers @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/m2Ut7Vh60a

— Tim Irving (@Irvish5) December 1, 2021

“She’s super resilient and very skilled too and you can see, she’s got a ton of poise in net and the ability to read plays,” Bruins coach Brendon Rothfuss said. “Even after the game, you can see, she’s cool as a cucumber.”

Both teams left the ice looking forward to their next games.

“I couldn’t happier with our guys. They pushed us, we pushed them and it was a great hockey game, an old-fashioned hockey game,” Monfiletto said.

“You could definitely feel the energy and after the first period, a couple of guys looked at me and said, ‘I missed this, I missed this, “ said Rothfuss.

Both teams have games Friday and Saturday against Buffalo-area squads here in Rochester.