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09/07/2022 12:41 PMMichael Pilato lives with a no-regrets mentality in all walks of life. The East Haven resident held true to that philosophy by leaving everything he had on the ice for Notre Dame-West Haven as a senior this year. Michael helped the Green Knights’ hockey team win the Division I state title as a senior captain and was ultimately named Notre Dame’s Athlete of the Year.
“No matter where, don’t regret anything in the classroom, don’t regret anything on the ice,” says Michael. “You don’t want to look back and say, ‘I could have done more.’ It goes by quickly, and you don’t want to miss anything.”
Michael started skating at the age of three at a clinic in Hamden and then began playing hockey for the Southern Stars when he was five. Michael’s father Mike encouraged him to play, and several of his friends also joined him in the sport. Michael loved learning from his dad and enjoyed playing with teammates that he would eventually compete alongside through his senior year.
Once Michael joined the Stars, hockey started to make sense. Michael realized how much he loved the sport and knew that he wanted to take hockey more seriously.
“It took me a couple years, but once I played at Southern, that’s when it really clicked with me,” Michael says. “I just fell in love with the sport.”
Michael played for the Stars and then joined the Yale Bulldogs at the squirt level. He then returned to the Stars before playing youth hockey in West Haven in 8th grade. Michael’s youth coach at both Southern and Yale, Erik Roos, helped him grow as a competitor. Mike says that his time playing youth hockey gave him a sense of what the competition would be like when he reached high school.
After playing for the Stars as a freshman, Michael joined the hockey squad at Notre Dame-West Haven in his sophomore year. Michael started on the JV team before making the jump to varsity. In his varsity debut, Michael scored his first varsity goal in a game against Notre Dame-Fairfield.
Playing offense was nothing new for Michael. He loves the forward position because he can be physical and is constantly involved. Michael did have to get adjusted to the high school game, but he always willing to compete his hardest and be a scrappy player, making his transition go smoothly.
“It was definitely different, but I got used to it pretty quickly,” says Michael. “I’ve always been a physical kid. I’ve always been in the play and willing to hit people. It came easier to me than I thought it would.
Michael felt confident on the ice as he headed into his senior year and saw his game continue to improve. As a senior, Michael led Notre Dame as a captain alongside Grant Curtis and alternate captains Ashton Delmonico and Colby Faughnan. Michael was prepared to be a leader and felt proud to guide the Green Knights in tandem with his fellow captains.
“It was my heart that helped me become a captain. To be a captain was a great experience,” Michael says. “It was great to play with all of these kids and be a leader on the team.”
The Notre Dame-West Haven hockey team put together a special season in 2022, culminating with a 4-2 victory over Darien in the championship game of the Division I State Tournament. The win gave the Green Knights their first state title since 2012. Michael says that claiming a state crown with Notre Dame is his best hockey memory and a moment that he will never forget.
“The championship was unreal. There is nothing like it,” says Michael. “Everyone was a little nervous skating out there. But after warmups, we had to focus up. It was the best experience I’ve had so far.”
Michael played a big role in the Green Knights’ victory, assisting on the game-winning goal by Tye Battipaglia. After getting hit, Michael got up and trailed the puck following a face-off win from Daniel Cusack. After Battipaglia chipped it off the board, Michael beat his defender 1-on-1 before passing the puck back to Battipaglia for the goal. It was the perfect moment for Michael and his teammates.
When the season was over, Michael was named to the All-SCC Division I First Team and the All-State Division I First Team. Michael was hoping to receive both of those honors and felt proud to reach his goal. Michael went on to win another major accolade when he was selected as the Athlete of the Year at Notre Dame-West Haven. Michael felt shocked to earn that distinction, but was happy to see everyone around him show support following the announcement.
“That was really something. I was really surprised about that,” Michael says. “It was great to hear. Everybody was so happy for me. It was really great.”
Larry Vieira served as Michael’s head coach at Notre Dame this year. After watching Michael compete, Vieira says that his captain displayed one of the strongest work ethics he’s ever seen in his four decades of coaching hockey.
“Michael was the spark plug of last year’s team. His intensity, focus, hard work, and willingness to give up his body for the good of Notre Dame was amazing to watch on a day-to-day basis,” says Vieira. “He is one of the hardest working players I have ever coached in 39 years.”
Michael is attending Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where he will major in finance and look to play club hockey. He will even be rooming with his fellow captain Faughnan.
Michael enjoyed a storied career as a hockey player at Notre Dame-West Haven, becoming a senior captain, a state champion, and the school’s Athlete of the Year. However, beyond all the accolades, the most memorable part of the experience for Michael was how he found a family while competing for the Green Knights.
“There’s not enough words to explain how much of a family we’ve become. This team was the biggest family in my life,” Michael says. “I played with some of these kids all my life. It was a great thing to win with them. To win this championship was big.”