Jack Wheeler scored three goals for the Long Beach Lightning 16U Gold – Pine, and the Lightning and the Peconic Wildcats 16U Gold – Lee skated to a 7-7 tie Sunday at Long Beach Municipal Ice Arena. Both teams earn a point and move to 0-1-1-0 on the LIAHL 16U Gold season.
Wheeler’s hat trick led a Long Beach attack that had five different players score. Anthony Navarro, Liam Hickey, Kevin Korotz and Brian Lopiccolo each added a goal. Jake Ventura answered with two goals for Peconic, and Hugo Schleiffelder, Nikolas Nasta, Daniel Esposito, Trevor Donley and Dylan Dechiaro each scored once as six Wildcats found the net.
Long Beach outscored Peconic 2-1 in the first period, and the Wildcats responded with a 3-1 edge in the second. The third period produced seven goals, four for the Lightning and three for Peconic. Long Beach outshot Peconic 39-24. Adam Steisel made 32 saves for the Wildcats, and William Goodwin finished with 17 saves for the Lightning.
Peconic was whistled for 18 penalty minutes, with Giovanni Cipriani and Anthony Portanova taking four apiece. Long Beach had eight penalty minutes, two each for Korotz, Oliver Feinstein, Alex Distefano and Dominick Omalley.
Both clubs remain in search of their first win of the season.
