By Larry Moko
Carter Brennan of the Bishop Ryan Celtics is on a hot streak.
During the final game of Bishop Ryan's high school hockey tournament in Niagara Falls on the weekend he scored two goals.
Then, on Monday, the Grade 11 forward potted another pair to spark the Celtics to a 5-3 victory over the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals at Valley Park Arena.
It was Newman's first loss of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic season after four straight wins. BR's record improved to 3-2.
Brennan's markers came in the third period, snapping a 3-3 tie. He one-timed a shot into the open side of the net for the go-ahead goal and then converted a rebound opportunity for the insurance marker.
"Carter has been good lately," Celtics coach Justin Cannon said. "He's got a hot stick right now."
According to Cannon, the line of Brennan, Nolan Pond and Luca Moretuzzo seems to have found some chemistry as a unit.
"We put them together at the tournament," the Celtics coach said. "Something gelled. It clicked. They were our best line tonight."
Pond opened the scoring and Moretuzzo chipped in with a couple of assists. Other BR goals were shared by Mason Hunks and Brett MacQueen.
Logan Paladino, Sam Gall and Jack Randles replied for Newman, which bounced back from a 3-1 deficit.
"We knew after they tied the game up we just had to calm down and re-set," Cannon said. "We weren't too concerned that we couldn't flip it back.
"I thought our boys did a good job of controlling play and puck possession for most of the game."
A perfectly executed stretch pass up the middle by Ben Skingley sent Randles in alone to deadlock the score early in the third period.
"I think they (BR) wanted it a bit more," Newman coach Matt Pritchard said of the final outcome. "We had some sloppy play in our zone. It was just one of those games."
Pritchard said the Cardinals strength as a team through the first four games was in its defensive zone.
"Coming into this game," he said, "we had only given up three goals. We have four goalies on the roster and a different goalie played every game. They've all been great.
"Not to make excuses, but we were playing really short today. We were down three of our better players, including our leading scorer, Deson Moriarity."
The game was a rematch of last year's league finalists.
"We didn't bring our 'A' game tonight and obviously BR is a good team," Pritchard added. "They won it last year and they've always been in the hunt. Good teams find a way to win."
It was the third-straight win for the Celtics, who dropped their first two starts to open the schedule.
Said Cannon: "Our guys were fired up. It was a great, fast-paced hockey game with lots of special-teams play."
In other boys' hockey action Monday, the St. Thomas More Knights (2-1-2) topped the 1-4 Bishop Tonnos Titans 6-2, and the St. Mary Crusaders (1-2-2) played the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves (1-2-2), to a 2-2 draw.
Photos by Richard Andoga
More photos on HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page
