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03/19/2014 12:00 AMThe East Haven ice hockey team made quick work of West Haven in the first round of the Division I State Tournament on March 12, beating the Blue Devils 7-2 in the first home playoff game for East Haven since 2008.
"It was great. To have it sell out a day before the game-they pre-sold the tickets-and to walk in this building when the game started at 6 p.m. and at 5 o'clock the whole building was packed with just standing room only, it's really an accomplishment," said Head Coach Lou Pane. "I told the guys that before the game it's an accomplishment of what this team has achieved. To be able to fill the building up the way we did here tonight is a true testament to our team."
East Haven then saw its season end with an 11-1 loss to Notre Dame-Fairfield in the quarterfinals at Ingalls Rink on March 15. The Yellowjackets went 18-5.
Against West Haven, the Yellowjackets' seniors made their last game on home ice count as Tom DeLucia had 27 saves to earn the win in net, Tristan Goodwin and Dylan Butler each scored twice, and captain Matt Longobardi saw his career at DiLungo Rink end in a hat trick.
"It honestly is probably the best feeling in the world and I would want nothing more than for this to happen," said Longobardi, who scored a goal in each period. "It was just amazing."
Longobardi got the No. 8 seed Easties on the score sheet first while on the penalty kill. Longobardi broke up a D-to-D pass attempt and was off to the races toward West Haven goalie Mike Savino. He sped in all alone and worked some magic with his hands to deke past the netminder-who he also scored a hat trick against in the regular season-and slid the puck into the open net.
"I know his weak spots," Longobardi said. "He has a nice glove so I had to move him to score."
With just over a minute to go in the period, East Haven made its special teams pay off once again. Goodwin scored the power play goal as he walked the puck to the right faceoff circle and fired a shot past Savino. Longobardi and Mike Falanga assisted Goodwin on the goal and the trio that combined to score 195 points in the regular season went for 13 in this victory.
Longobardi opened the second period by scoring just 18 seconds in. Jake DelGuidice took a shot from the point that Savino saved with his pad, but Longobardi was in the perfect spot for the rebound to put East Haven up by three. A few minutes later, Falanga found Goodwin wide open in front of the net and his shot went five-hole on Savino to extend the lead.
"I thought we were a step quicker than they were tonight. We had some speed and our defensive unit was a little better than they were, too," Pane said. "It was a whole team effort to Tommy in goal, to our defense, to our forwards. Everyone played real well tonight and it's great to move on."
West Haven's Peter Lynn beat DeLucia on a shot from the point on the power play through a big screen to put the No. 9 seed Blue Devils on the board late in the second. but Dylan Butler stifled that momentum by scoring a rebound goal one minute into the third period to give East Haven a 5-1 lead. On the play, he won one of his many faceoffs in the game to set up the goal.
"Winning the draws is everything. Winning the draws gives you the puck and gives you control of the game right then and there," he said. "We just go out and put as many pucks as we can in the net."
West Haven answered right away with a goal by Kevin Coyle, but Longobardi scored his third of the game off the rush shortly after to take the wind out of the Blue Devils' sails. It looked as if he'd pass it to Falanga streaking to the far post, but instead ripped a shot low left and it stood just inside the post for the goal.
"It doesn't get any better than that," said Pane of Longobardi's hat trick. "He's so deserving of it because he works so hard."
Butler then put the nail in the coffin late by scoring on the power play. The Yellowjackets had the crowd rocking and Butler and his teammates were glad to deliver.
"Words can't describe it. It's unbelievable. The crowd was amazing. Energy was unbelievable," he said. "We haven't had a crowd like this in I don't even know how long. They were great, supported us all throughout the year, and I couldn't ask for a better team or better crowd."
Following this game, the Yellowjackets faced No. 1 seed Notre Dame-Fairfield and saw a familiar foe in goalie Zak Bouve. Bouve was East Haven's goalie last season and beat them for the second time this season in an 11-1 victory. Notre Dame jumped out to an early 4-0 first period lead and East Haven was forced to play in desperation mode throughout the rest of the contest. Falanga scored the lone Yellowjackets' goal early in the second.