NYSAHA Semifinals Recap 

Heading into this season’s SCHSHL playoffs, there were high hopes for a rematch of the 2022-2023 Finals where the St. Anthony’s Friars defeated the East Islip Chiefs. Better late than never and in the end it was Ryan Anatra’s #3 seed East Islip Chiefs who came away with a victory over Brady Monteleone’s #2 seed St. Anthony’s Friars. 

But before the Chiefs won the second of their four meetings against the Friars, the #1 seed Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls took on the #4 seed Kings Park Commack Knights. The Bulls split their season series against the Knights, but won the final meeting between these two clubs in Saugerties. Full game recaps below along with the official box scores from this weekend.  

Bulls Send Knights packing 

Gavin Bareham scored the power play game winner before potting an empty netter as the Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls defeated the Kings Park Commack Knights 6-2. Patrick Ryan made 20 saves on 22 shots in the Bulls win. Jayson Krauthamer made 34 stops on 39 shots for the Knights.

Smithtown Hauppauge outshot Kings Park Commack 16-4 in the opening frame, but neither team found the back of the net. 

Ryan Walsh opened the scoring to give KPC a 1-0 lead in the second stanza. Just 15 seconds later, Adam Lackowitz tied the game for Smithtown Hauppauge. Ryan Walsh scored his second of the game to make it 2-1 in favor of the Knights. Bulls Captain Bobby Trites scored to tie the game. Gavin Bareham and Michael Arnoni scored back-to-back power play goals as Smithtown Hauppauge took a 4-2 lead. Arnoni’s goal was mistakenly credited to Jackson Cantalupo, who fired a shot that went off the aforementioned Bulls goal scorer and into the back of the net. Max Campo made it 5-2 before the end of the 2nd period. Gavin Bareham potted an empty netter to seal the deal in the 3rd period. 

Chiefs Comeback Stuns Friars   

Anthony Marazzito scored the game winner on the power play as the East Islip Chiefs defeated the St. Anthony’s Friars 3-1. Brody Dickson made 33 saves on 34 shots to secure the win for East Islip. T.J. Ulmschneider made 24 stops on 27 shots for St. Anthony’s.

Evan LaFata was assessed a five minute major for spearing in the opening frame. League officials later overturned the suspension, allowing the younger brother of Luke LaFata to play in the state title game.  

Ryan Leon scored a power play goal to give the Friars a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Ryan Anatra potted the equalizer in the 1st period. The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 after two periods.

Anthony Marazzito and Luke LaFata scored back-to-back power play goals in the final frame of the semifinals matchup. Brody Dickson garnered a secondary assist on Marazzito’s game winning goal after making a beautiful poke check that was collected by Ryan Anatra, who picked up the primary assist.