Trumbull Defeats Staples Girls Ice Hockey 6-0

SHELTON — A month ago the Staples girls ice hockey team absorbed a 5-1 loss to an experienced and skilled Trumbull team, and on Monday night, the Wreckers hoped to improve that result.

The Eagles (6-3) had different ideas and earned a 6-0 win over the injury-depleted Westporters.

"They're very good," Staples head coach David Rollison said. "They've got some almost-D1 players that are going to go to serious colleges. They're very well put together, they're coached very well."

Trumbull wasted no time in pressuring the Wrecker defense, peppering Staples' second-year goalie Gwen Moyer (25 saves) with 17 first-period shots, good for four goals.

The Wreckers crossed center ice for the first time almost precisely midway through the first period, as Kate Shanahan's pass led Brittanie Hamlin across Trumbull's blue line. 

Once the Wrecker had a little offense, more followed, with Shanahan again feeding Hamlin, Jenn Hoetz rushing the left wing, and Freja Andrews passing to Shanahan deep in Trumbull territory. Hoetz and Shanahan's late-in-the-period give-and-go came up empty.

"We're working on the forecheck, getting the offense up and comfortable," Rollison said. "Offense is more of a flowing situation, harder for the girls to pick up [than defense]. It also takes a lot more time to develop."

The second period saw Hoetz solo, then team with Abbie Beckoff on a two-on-two, with Hoetz' shot flying wide. The teams worked for advantage, with Hamlin denied a goal only by a sliding save.

Early in the third period, Hamlin broke free.

"That's what we've been practicing, to break out of the zone," Hamlin said. "Sometimes you see an opening between the defense and you just go for it."

Hamlin went for it up the left wing, and as a Trumbull defender pushed her to the boards, she saw an opportunity and passed the puck to Hoetz.

"I've never really played with her [Hoetz] before, but she's a really good player," Hamlin said, who watched her teammate's hard shot ricochet off the post. "It's really frustrating. I wanted it to go in the net but it hit the post. When you hear that ding, it's really hard."

The Wreckers kept working for a scoring opportunity, and with just a minute left, Shanahan, Hamlin, and Hoetz put together a passing sequence that ended with Hoetz' fine shot getting deflected into orbit.

 "We've just got to start putting them in the net," Rollison said. "That's the big thing. Our offense has gotten some good breaks sometimes, but they just don't go in the net. We've got to be sure that they do go in."