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04/06/2023 06:33 AMBorn into it is one phrase to describe Owen Quick’s connection to hockey. The senior at North Haven High School has grown up around the sport, eventually developing into a key asset to the Nighthawks boys’ ice hockey squad this winter.
Owen, who also played soccer and lacrosse growing up, was drawn to the ice by family members who were involved with it.
“I’ve been playing since I was four years old, which would be 14 years,” says Owen. “My mom’s dad played for the New Haven Bears back in the day, and she got me into learning how to skate.”
Owen was part of the defensive core for a Nighthawks team that won its first Division II State Championship since 2004 this past winter in a 2-1 overtime win against the Woodstock Centaurs on March 21. Head Coach Chris Avena recognizes Owen’s ability to stop the best players on other teams while also contributing on offense.
“He was asked to shut down either the other team’s best line or player. As a team, we gave up one point, eight goals a game,” says Avena. “That statistic shows that he was a huge part in doing just that. He also had 30 points this year as well. Not only did he shut down other teams, but he also provided us with a bunch of offense.”
To recognize his accomplishments this campaign, Owen was named the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) Player of the Year and also the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for Division II.
“I was very excited as I thought it was well deserved because I know I work very hard,” says Owen. “I was honored to be named SCC Player of the Year.”
Besides his on-ice accolades, Owen also served as a tri-captain this season, leading his team by example.
“He led the team by going out there and playing at a high level. He certainly made his defensive partners rise to the occasion and set the bar high every day in practice,” says Avena. “Our forwards competing against him just made our forwards better. With some of our younger defensemen, it was being around them, talking with them, and they understood what it takes to be at his level.”
Owen echoes his coach’s comments, saying he always gave 100% effort day in and day out.
“I led my team by coming to practice and pushing my teammates around me to get better by giving my best effort,” says Owen. “I also tried my best to lock down defensively and contribute offensively with 13 goals and 21 assists myself.”
The Nighthawks went 2-0 against the Woodstock Centaurs this season. Woodstock averaged seven goals a game, but North Haven held them to just two goals in both contests.
“To hold an offense like that to one goal when they are scoring seven goals a game, and with that to win the state title, I think that is his most memorable performance,” says Avena.
Owen explains that winning a state championship gave him every feeling of joy and excitement, but hitting a personal goal in an earlier game this season made him feel just as elated.
“I was so happy to go out with a bang. I have never been so happy and hyped up in my life; it was a rush of every emotion in one second. The state championship was my most memorable game because it was so amazing,” says Owen. “A second favorite would have to be against Cheshire because I achieved a personal milestone of my first hat trick. It was awesome as a defenseman.”
Although Owen was a top performer for the Nighthawks this season, it was difficult to keep his team on track and focused on their goal every day.
“A challenge this season was getting the team and myself to keep giving 100% effort and also not playing down to our opponents if we found ourselves on a winning streak,” says Owen.
That 100% effort is necessary for a team of North Haven’s caliber. Being number one all season puts a big target on a team’s back, and like any team in that situation would, the Nighthawks certainly felt the pressure. Avena commends Owen for leading through that pressure and serving as a role model for his teammates when it came to pushing through any obstacle they were faced with.
“That is an enormous challenge in and of itself. Over the last couple weeks, we talked about how hard that actually is to do—to start the season as number one and to end the season as number one,” says Avena. “I think him captaining our team throughout the duration and ending up right where we started was a huge challenge that he took head-on. I think that he certainly set the example of what it will take to do just that.”
After he graduates this spring, Owen plans to continue playing hockey at the junior level in pursuit of playing in college.