The Darien Times

Hathaway blows ’em away: ‘He’s been really playing lights-out hockey’

Written by Steven Buono
Thursday, February 02, 2012 01:33 PM

Boys Hockey

Brendan Hathaway stopped the clock and kept Darien’s all-wins-in-the-FCIAC streak going, all at once, and in a heart beat, in a 3-2 win over St. Joseph.

“He’s been really playing lights-out for us,” said Darien first year boys hockey coach Chris Gerwig of Hathaway’s winner, his second of the game, on the powerplay at Shelton Rinks on Wednesday night.

Without a second to spare in the second period Hathaway went to the net, on a co-crash of the cage with Alec Foresta off the face-off, for the goal that made it 3-2.

“That was the difference,” said Gerwig. “We were just trying something off the face-off.”

The puck was dropped on the right side dot inside the St. Joe’s end.

“And what we did, we just told Alec Foresta, who’s a lefty shot, to line up on that side and go forward towards the net,” Gerwig said.

That’s where Forest lugged the puck.

“He did, and we got a couple bounces and Hathaway and (Trent) Bergin were lined up on the inside of the face-off dot,” Gerwig said. “And (they) went to the net.”

The puck was kicked out in front.

“And Brendan got his stick on the ice and banged it into the open net,” Gerwig added. “With one second left in the period, that was a huge momentum lift for us. It got us going and it kind of got them down a little bit.”

The hottest line of late, Hathaway plays in the middle of Bergin on right and Foresta.

“Any time you score to go up with a second left — it took a little steam out of what they had been doing,” said Gerwig.

Hathaway, a junior, scored two goals and set up the Wave’s other.

Defenseman Hank Glick scored on the powerplay, Trent Bergin had two helpers.

Zack Usinger and Ryan Corcoran scored for the Cadets.

The hosts went up 1-0 and led 2-1 after one period and never scored again. Darien recouped with two in the second.

Glick scored Darien’s first goal on the powerplay to tie it 1-1 in the first on a feed from Hathaway.

Hathaway scored from Bergin to make it 2-2 in the second.

“Any time you go on the road — and the game started at 10 to nine on a school night — it’s a very, very good win for our team,” Gerwig said. “Against a good, good St. Joe’s hockey team.

“It was a good test, considering we’ve been having some games where we’ve kind of been breezing lately.”

Darien improves to 9-3 overall and 6-0 in the FCIAC.

St. Joseph loses for the first time at home dropping to 9-5, 5-2, losing to New Canaan 6-1 and Ridgefield 3-2 in the league.

New Canaan is 8-4-1, 4-1.

“We’re just very pleased with the way we were able to respond after a slow start,” Gerwig said. “We were outplayed in the first period. And then we settled down a little bit. And we got things rolling.

“We scored two powerplay goals, which is big, anytime special teams come into effect.”

At the other end of the puck, Darien killed off a couple of penalties toward the end.

“And Max (Rothston), obviously, put his foot down,” Gerwig said. “And just did a great job at the end. He’s been solid, we’re very blessed to have him between the pipes. He’s playing the way he should be.”

The Cadets went on the powerplay with three minutes to play in the third.

“And we killed that off,” Gerwig said. “So special teams started really coming along nicely.”

Rothston made 28 saves, Ron Johnson made 24 stops for St. Joe.

Big dates approach with Valentine's Day

A week from Saturday, the big FCIAC showdown between first place Ridgefield and second place Darien, 8:30 p.m. at DIR.

It’s on Gerwig’s mind.

“There’s no doubt,” he said. “After New Canaan had Ridgefield on the ropes last night, 3-2 with four minutes left in the third.”

And Ridgefield (12-1, 7-0) came back to win it 5-3.

“New Canaan right there with the big boys,” added Gerwig.

Darien’s 6-1 early season, non-league blitz of the Rams will be reexamined in part two of the regular season league showdown — because there is a part two — when the Wave takes them on 4 p.m. Valentines Day. Sweet stuff.

“It is going to be a big match-up (with the Tigers), and then New Canaan,” said Gerwig. “It’s going to be big.”

Ridgefield, loaded with leadership from seniors and well rounded, Gerwig says, also beat Notre Dame West Haven 2-1 this season. Fairfield Prep beat the Tigers 3-0 in the season opener and they have not lost since.

“They’re the team to beat, and we’ve got the opportunity to maybe be the first team in the FCIAC to beat them,” said Gerwig. “That’s our goal and we’re going to go for it.”

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