On Friday January 7, the Verona-Glen Ridge Hockey team beat Livingston 2-1 for the second time this season. Their first meeting was in the holiday tournament in which VGR capitalized and won 7-0; however, this game proved more difficult.
Livingston’s Tal Finberg started the night off scoring a goal early in the first. This would be Livingston’s only promise of the night. Verona freshman Jake Paganelli and Glen Ridge senior and Co-Captain Matt Lander scored VGR’s two goals of the night. Paganelli’s in the second and Lander’s in the third were both power play goals. Despite VGR’s seven penalties, Livingston was unable to put the puck in the net, partially due to Verona senior goaltender Matt Brehne who had 30 saves in the game.
Yet, the next night VGR lost 8-1 to Montclair Kimberley Academy. MKA’s Mark Bowen had three goals on the night, while Alex Morse and Robert Jaworski tacked on another two apiece for the team.
VGR’s lone goal came from defenseman and Verona senior Patrick Sullivan late in the third period. Tensions ran extremely high throughout the course of this game with many penalties being awarded to both teams. Even after the clock hit zero at the end of the third, there was still some shoving between the two teams.
VGR hopes to redeem themselves Friday with a game against West Orange at 6:45 p.m. and another one the following day against Millburn at 7:45 p.m. Both games will be at Codey Arena.
