Ridgefield Boys Hockey Uses Big Third Period To Rout Staples

Ridgefield's top line of Sean Wilkinson, Jack Christensen and Vinny Rella accounted for three goals Saturday as the Tigers' boys hockey team routed Staples 6-1 on senior night.

Ridgefield won its sixth straight game, improving to 8-1 in the FCIAC and 12-3 overall.

The game was close through two periods, however, with the Tigers nursing a 2-0 lead before erupting for four goals in the third.

"The third period is ours," Christensen said. "We are really well-conditioned and once we get one, we just keep going."

Wilkinson scored the first goal of the game at 8:51 of the first period while the Tigers were shorthanded. Henry Gough was in the box for tripping.

While watching from the point, Wilkinson took advantage of a defensive miscue and tipped the puck away from a Wreckers' defender. He then raced up the ice on a breakaway and deked goaltender Luke Andriuk before tapping the puck into the open side of the net.

Sophomore Chris Morrow scored the eventual game-winner and his first varsity goal at 5:12 of the second period, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Early in the third, Wilkinson recovered the puck in the corner and appeared to stumble as he started to skate behind the net.  He finished the play with his second goal of the night to make it 3-0.

“I took a peak and saw the goaltender’s leg sticking out and shot it at the back of his leg,” Wilkinson said.

Two minutes later, Staples (4-4, 10-5) got on the board as captain Kyle Wehmhoff gathered a loose puck on the side of the net and beat Tigers goaltender Nate Gliedman with a wraparound.

At the beginning of the period,  Wehmhoff was stopped by Gliedman on a breakaway after an uncharacteristic Ridgefield turnover at center ice.

“That save,” Tigers Coach Gallagher said, “was a real energizer for us. Our goalie faced their best player and made a tough save look routine with his glove."

Just over a minute after Wehmhoff's goal, Rella dug the puck out from behind the net, passing  to Wilkinson. 

With Rella serving as a screen in front, Wilkinson slid a soft pass under a Staples defender stick to Christensen, who roofed the puck over Andriuk to make it 4-1 five minutes into the third period.

“It felt good to finally put one home," Christensen said. "I missed a few earlier in the game.”

"(My linemates) are great to play with,” Rella added. “They are always talking. I just try and go in there and do my job.  I am not a talker, it is just not my game. I just go out there and work.”

Callan McCormick scored Ridgefield's fifth goal at 11:57 before Matt Flanagan completed the scoring with a minute left.

“We really wanted to something big for the seniors tonight and would love to win the FCIACs and states and I think we have a shot at doing it,” Christensen said.