Matthew Fielding and Jake Gesseck each scored twice, and Connetquot/Sayville/BBP Gold (DV) pulled away from Longwood Green (DV) for a 6-3 win in the SCHSHL Developmental Division season opener Monday night at The Rinx – North Rink. The crowd had energy from the start after a long offseason, and both teams played like clubs determined to put difficult finishes from a year ago behind them.
The first period was quick and even. Gesseck opened the scoring unassisted with 10:47 left, and Aiden Byrne answered for Longwood 28 seconds later off a feed from Peyton Sganga. Raymond Rusielewicz III restored the lead with an unassisted highlight-reel goal with 7:34 remaining. Scott Siemsen then tied it 2-2 on his own with 2:56 left in the frame.
Connetquot/Sayville/BBP Gold took control in the second period by putting pressure on the neutral zone, which slowed Longwood’s transition game. Jace Orfanos converted on the power play with 11:36 left, with Rusielewicz picking up the assist. Gesseck then found a lane through traffic with 37 seconds left in the period for a 4-2 lead that held up as the game-winner. Longwood went to Dory Pendzick in relief of starter Aiden McLaughlin during the second, and Pendzick gave his team a steady presence in net the rest of the way.
Fielding pushed the lead to 5-2 midway through the third, picking off a pass and finishing on a breakaway with 10:53 to go. Longwood answered with 8:04 left when Anthony Fichera scored, set up by Dominick Cipriani and Lucas Kuczynski. Pendzick made a key rebound stop late in the period, and Longwood pulled its goalie in the final minutes. Fielding, who was relentless at both ends all night, sealed the win with a shorthanded goal with 55 seconds left.
Noah Martin was steady in net and earned the win for Connetquot/Sayville/BBP Gold (1-0-0-0), allowing two goals before Grant Kauter came on in relief and allowed one. McLaughlin took the loss for Longwood Green (0-1-0-0), allowing four goals, while Pendzick allowed two. Rusielewicz added a goal and an assist for a two-point night.
Both teams will look to build on the early signs of improvement they showed on opening night.
