2017 Ice Hockey Tournament
NW Catholic, Farmington Valley are 2017 CCC Ice Hockey Champs
Northwest Catholic and Farmington Valley captured the 2017 CCC Ice Hockey Championships in tightly contested games. Northwest held off a mid game rally to defeat Simsbury 5-3 while Farmington Valley captured its second straight South Division championship with a come-from-behind 7-4 win over EO Smith/Tolland.
Northwest took a three-goal lead early in the second period only to see Simsbury strike for two quick scores to cut the margin to 3-2. But the Lions' struck for a short handed goal and held off the Trojans the rest of the way to claim the North Division title for the first time. Anthony Ceolin scored two goals to lead Northwest. He also had the assist on the short handed score by Ryan Sherba. Cal Skwara had 18 saves for Northwest Catholic while George Matteo kept Simsbury in the game with 26 saves.
Timothy Arena had three goals and Sam Buchanan added two as Farmington Valley rallied from an early 2-0 deficit. Arena assisted on a power play goal by Peter Hoffman then added a goal of his own less than a minute later to tie the game for Farmington as the first peiod ended. The Generals took the lead on another Arena goal less than a minute into the second period and made it 4-2 on Buchanan's goal midway through the period. EO Smith/Tolland cut the lead to one late in the second but Farmington Valley put it away with two third period goals before scoring an empty netter in the closing seconds. Evan Valenti had two goals to lead EO Smith/Tolland. Jake Ciraco made 23 saves for EO Smith/Tolland while Ryan Bellucci had 16 for Farmington Valley.
Finals
Sat. Mar. 4 at Trinity College
South Championship at Noon
EO Smith/Tolland 4, Farmington Valley 7
North Championship at 3 p.m.
Simsbury 3, Northwest Catholic 5
Thurs. Mar. 2
CCC North Semifinals
at International Skating Center, Simsbury
#4 East Catholic 1, #1 Northwest Catholic 3
#3 Glastonbury 1, #2 Simsbury 2
CCC South Semifinals
Thurs. Mar. 2
#4 Hall/Southington 2, #1 Farmington Valley 4 at Avon Old Farms, 8 p.m.
#3 EO Smith/Tolland 3, #2 Wethersfield/Middletown/Rocky Hill/Plainville 1 at Newington Ice Arena, 6:45 p.m.