High School
St. Anthony’s Wins Season Opener
The St. Anthony’s Friars (1-0) defeated the East Islip Chiefs (0-1) 9-4 in the program’s first season opening win since returning to the SCHSHL. James Aspromonti, Nick Busa, Anthony Cutalo, and Zack Sirel scored two goals apiece for the Friars. Jordan Valcich allowed 4 goals against in his first career win for St. Anthony’s. Patrick O’Shea was stellar in his varsity debut for East Islip as the vast majority of St. Anthony’s nine goals came on special teams, breakaways, and rebound opportunities
Aspromonti scored a power play goal with 11:16 left in the 1st period to give St. Anthony’s a 1-0 lead. Aspromonti entered the East Islip zone, drove past the EI defense, and received a pass from Christian Buttacavoli to create a 1 on 0 opportunity. O’Shea stopped the first shot, before Aspromonti cashed in on the rebound.
Aspromonti scored an unassisted goal to double the Friars lead with 6:24 left in the opening frame. Aspromonti intercepted a D to D pass to create a breakaway, before beating O’Shea glove side low.
Zack Sirel scored a shorthanded goal to make it 3-0 Friars with 5:37 remaining in the first stanza. Sirel won a defensive zone draw back to the Friars captain, Cormac Terry, who threw it up the boards on an attempted clear. Sirel recovered the puck to create a 2 on 1 opportunity, came in along the right wing side, and sniped stick side high on a perfectly placed wrister.
Evan LaFata scored a power play goal to make it a 3-1 game with 2:41 to go in the 1st period. LaFata won the opening draw back to the blue line before burying a rebound.
Nick Busa scored his first career varsity goal to put the Friars back up by three with 13:55 left in the second stanza. Tommy Azzariti entered the EI zone before firing a shot that was turned aside, Sirel slid the puck to the back door and Busa buried it.
Will Bisogno scored his first career varsity goal to make it 5-1 with 10:20 left in the second frame. Ryan Leon won the draw to Vito Sacino, who took a shot from the left wing dot that led to a backhand rebound goal for Bisogno. Sacino recorded his first career varsity assist on the play.
Sirel scored a backhanded wrap around goal to put the Friars up by five with 4:42 to go. Sacino and Anthony Scorcia picked up assists on the play.
Peter Marrazito scored his first of the season on a one-timer that was assisted by James Walsh with 4:24 left in the 2nd period to make it 6-2. It was Walsh’s first career varsity assist.
Logan Barton scored his first career varsity goal to make it 6-3 with 3:10 left in the period. Valdich came out to play the puck at the top of the right wing dot, but Barton won the foot race and buried it in the wide open net.
Anthony Cutalo scored his first career varsity goal to make it 7-3 St. Anthony’s with 12:40 to go in the 3rd period. Cutalo circled the zone, before darting in towards the slot and sniping glove side high.
Busa completed the tic-tac-toe play on a shot from the slot to make it 8-3 with 4:51 left in regulation. Sirel broke up a clearing attempt by East Islip before dishing it across to Azzariti, who found Busa all alone for his second of the game.
Barton got his second of the night with 3:13 left in the 3rd period to make it 8-4. Jack Dolson carried it into the St. Anthony’s done before making a cross crease feed for Barton to deflect home.
With 15 seconds left in regulation, Cutalo scored his second of the night on a shot from the slot that deflected off the glove of O’Shea to make it 9-5.
Three Stars of the Game
1st Zack Sirel – Scored two goals, including a shorthanded one, and added an assist for the Friars
2nd James Aspromonti — Scored two goals, including one on the power play
3rd Nick Busa — Scored two goals at even strength
You must be logged in to post a comment Login