Titans ice Trojans - Kiernan nets three to spark Sheehan
By Bryant Carpenter
Meriden Record-Journal staff
January 6, 2008
(Rob Beecher /Record-Journal) Sheehan’s T.K. Kiernan goes airborne as he attempts to squeeze between Lyman Hall defenders Lloyd Jacques, left, and Ryan Rainville, right, Saturday night at Choate Rosemary Hall rink
WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT - For a solid decade, when it’s come to Wallingford-on-Wallingford hockey, it’s been mostly about Lyman Hall.
The Trojans have typically played in a higher division. They’ve almost always beaten the Titans.
The puck’s on the other edge now.
Sparked by T.K. Kiernan’s goal-scoring (3 goals) and Mike Busillo’s playmaking (3 assists), Sheehan topped Lyman Hall 5-2 before a boisterous packed house Saturday night at Choate to give fifth-year head coach Ralph Shaw his first win over Tim Belcher and the boys in orange and blue.
“Every year it’s a battle,” said Shaw. “Tonight, we came out on top, but it could have easily gone the other way if we didn’t focus and control ourselves and gain composure on what we’re trying to accomplish.”
The Titans (4-3) are gunning for another run to the CIAC Division II playoffs. The considerably less experienced Trojans (0-7) are still looking for their first win.
And yet Saturday’s game was a sign of progress for the senior- less Trojans, who had lost their first six games by an average score of 8.0-2.5. After a scoreless first period in the Choate icebox, they answered two Sheehan goals within seconds and were within 3-2 heading into the final frame.
That’s where the Titans, playing with far greater savvy and precision, iced it with two unanswered goals by Kiernan and solid goaltending by Cameron Sidwell.
“It’s been tough,” said Belcher. “We need to get a win here and lift up our spirits, but it’s not all about winning. It’s about the effort, it’s about improving and I think we’ve improved greatly as a team over the first month.”
Freshman goalie R.J. Negri was a gamer for LH. He was peppered with shots from the Titans and catcalls from some of their fans.
He held the fort until Tyler Timek beat him glove side on the power play 1:36 into the second period. The puck had been cleared after several Titan missiles didn't find the net. Timek worked the play back into the zone with a pass to himself off the boards.
After Lyman Hall squandered a brief two-man advantage, Sheehan pushed its lead to 2-0 when Nick Capozzi tucked home the rebound of Kiernan's one-time blast from the point that hit high on the glass behind the net.
That would pretty much be the last time the Sheehan sophomore would miss. Kiernan scored the next three Titans goals, the last drawing hats on the ice to mark the occasion.
Lyman Hall's goals were notched by Chris Bolduc and Chris Messina. Bolduc's goal came eight seconds after Capozzi's, Messina's six seconds after Kiernan's first.
Those post-goal let-ups were addressed by Shaw during the second intermission.
"We've got to keep our guard up," said the Sheehan coach. "Lyman Hall: It's a great cross-town rivalry. They've lost some people, but you saw the game tonight. They're not going to roll over. This game is an example of a team that's going to keep fighting."
That was almost literally true. The final minutes were chippy. It sets up the Feb. 26 rematch at Northford Ice Pavillion.
"The young guys got a taste of the rivalry tonight," said Belcher.
"We're going to see them again next month. It's always fun to play Sheehan; it's always fun to play here because it's a packed house always. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end."