Summit Narrowly Edges Westfield for County Hockey Title

When a team gives up three goals in the game’s first seven minutes to an opponent that rarely gives up three goals, it’s a pretty tough mountain to climb.

That was the challenge the Westfield ice hockey team was faced with Saturday night. The Blue Devils gave it their best shot and almost came all the way back.

Instead it was second-seeded Summit hanging on to defeat top-seeded Westfield 4-3 at Warinanco Rink in Roselle for the Union County Ice Hockey League’s Union County Cup.

Westfield won its first division title when it captured this year’s UCIHL regular season crown with a 10-0-2 league mark.

Summit won last year’s Union County Cup final over Westfield 4-2 after winning the UCIHL’s regular season title.

The teams played two 2-2 ties this year before Summit got out to a quick start Saturday night and turned back Westfield for its second consecutive cup crown.

“They’re a good team and I think both teams respect each other,” said Westfield senior captain and first line center CJ Meyer, who in between the first and second periods was introduced as the UCIHL MVP for 2020-2011.

Meyer assisted on Westfield’s first goal scored by Nick Attanasio and scored Westfield’s second.

Summit scored just 1:32 in when starting defenseman Travis Harden shot the puck past Westfield junior goaltender Steve Wronski.

Westfield senior goalie and captain Morgan Bungerz was dressed in uniform as Wronski’s backup, but unable to play due to injury. He was named the Second Team All-UCIHL goaltender.

Westfield quickly tied the game at 1-1 a little over a minute later when the puck rolled off senior right wing Nick Attanasio’s stick and, surprisingly, past Summit senior goalie Jackson Stuckey.

In just a minute and a half Summit scored again to take a 2-1 lead. Freshman first line right wing Liam McLaughlin scored off an assist from senior left wing Timmy Yager.

At that point in the game, most likely to the surprise of most fans in attendance , three of the first six shots on goal went in. Summit and Westfield were the league’s top two defenses, with Summit giving up the least amount of goals and Westfield the second least.

Summit struck again with 7:05 to go in the first as senior forward and team captain Mike Tsiang scored on a rebound.

“We battled hard, but we didn’t have our best D zone coverage to start the game,” Meyer said. “Like a good team, they took advantage.”

Meyer’s goal came just six seconds into the second period to pull Westfield to within 3-2.

A save by Wronski of a breakaway shot by junior forward Eric Stabler kept the game at 3-2 with 9:15 to go in the second.

However, Summit got an all-important fourth goal three minutes later when first line junior center Jeff Wycoff scored on a scramble in front.

Meyer got off a quality shot that Stuckey saved moments before the puck got in the net past Stuckey with 1:23 left in the second. That was a goal the referee disallowed, with the score remaining in favor of Summit 4-2.

“The ref said that the goal had moved and came off the mooring completely,” Westfield coach George Giresi said.

Westfield quickly fired three shots on goal in the first minute of the third period that were all saved by Stuckey, who was named the First Team All-UCIHL goalie.

Summit was then presented with its first power play two minutes into the third, with Wronski making one save.

Stuckey and Wronski both finished with 18 saves.

Stuckey came up big with 8:50 to go when he saved a point-blank shot off the stick of Attanasio. Westfield senior Dylan Shepcaro later fired a shot right at Stuckey that he grabbed a hold of.

Summit was then called for a crosschecking penalty with 2:16 left. This time Westfield took advantage of its third power play opportunity when senior captain and first line left wing Henry O’Brien backhanded the puck in with 1:36 to go to make it 4-3.

Westfield, which was able to pull Wronski for an extra skater with 52 seconds left, was unable to get another shot on goal following its third tally.

“We got off to a slow start and couldn’t seem to muster quality shots,” Giresi said.

Summit had a 9-4 edge in shots on goal after the 15 minutes, but just ended up having just one more than Westfield for the game, 22-21.

“We weren’t pushing their defense back,” Giresi said. “When we scored to make it 3-2, that was a huge momentum change for us. However, Summit didn’t back down.

“We tried to make an adjustment with a little run-and-gun. We just couldn’t get enough time with the puck for quality shots.”

NOTES: Meyer is closing in on 200 career points. With the two he produced Saturday night, his total might be 194 going into Monday’s 6 p.m. first round Public A game against 29th-seeded Monroe at Warinanco. Westfield is the fourth seed.

Meyer most likely would have traded a victory Saturday night for his league MVP trophy.

“It’s an honor,” said Meyer, who plans to take a year off to play juniors before attempting to continue at the University of Rhode Island.

Summit will play a Public B first round game against Madison Tuesday night at 6 at Warinanco. Summit is the seventh seed and Madison the 26th.

2010-2011 UCIHL ALL STARS

REGULAR SEASON MVP: CJ Meyer, Westfield, senior.

FIRST TEAM:

Forwards – Eric Pawlick, Cranford; Jeff Wyckoff, Summit;

Nick Attanasio, Westfield.

Defense – Joe Lanza, Johnson; Mike Nyitray, Summit.

Goaltender – Jackson Stuckey, Summit.

SECOND TEAM:

Forwards – Salvatore DeMarzo, Johnson; Ed Logie, Scotch Plains;

Timmy Yager, Summit.

Defense – Ted Udelsman, Gov. Livingston; Jon Macik, Westfield.

Goaltender – Morgan Bungerz, Westfield.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Henry O’Brien, Westfield; Frank Martino, Johnson; Ryan Grum, Gov. Livingston;

Terrance White, Scotch Plains; Matt Neubauer, Dayton; Tom Fitzgerald, Cranford;

Travis Harden, Summit.

UNION COUNTY CUP FINAL AT WARINANCO

2-SUMMIT (18-2-3)                    3       1      0 - 4

1-WESTFIELD (17-4-2                 1        1      1 - 3

FIRST PERIOD SCORING:

SUMMIT – Goal: Travis Harden. Assist: Will Brenn.

Time of even strength goal: 1:32.

Summit leads 1-0.

WESTFIELD – Goal: Nick Attanasio. Assist: CJ Meyer.

Time of even strength goal: 2:38.

Game tied 1-1.

SUMMIT – Goal: Liam McLaughlin. Assist: Timmy Yager.

Time of even strength goal: 4:02.

Summit leads 2-1.

SUMMIT – Goal: Mike Tsiang. Assists: Will Brenn, Eric Stabler.

Time of even strength goal: 7:55.

Summit leads 3-1.

SHOTS ON GOAL: Summit 9, Westfield 4.

SAVES: Summit 3, Westfield 6.

POWER PLAYS: Summit 0-for-0. Westfield 0-for-1.

SECOND PERIOD SCORING:

WESTFIELD – Goal: CJ Meyer. Assist: Henry O’Brien.

Time of even strength goal: :06.

Summit leads 3-2.

SUMMIT – Goal: Jeff Wyckoff. Assist: Liam McLaughlin.

Time of even strength goal: 6:19.

Summit leads 4-2.

SHOTS ON GOAL: Summit 8, Westfield 10.

SAVES: Summit 9, Summit 7.

POWER PLAYS: Summit 0-for-0. Westfield 0-for-1.

THIRD PERIOD SCORING:

WESTFIELD – Goal: Henry O’Brien. Assist: Dane Huber.

Time of the power play goal: 13:24.

Summit leads 4-3.

SHOTS ON GOAL: Summit 5, Westfield 7.

SAVES: Summit 6, Westfield 5.

POWER PLAYS: Summit 0-for-1. Westfield 1-for-1.

GAME TOTALS:

SHOTS ON GOAL: Summit 22, Westfield 21.

SAVES: Summit, Jackson Stuckey, 18; Westfield, Steve Wronski, 18.

POWER PLAYS: Summit 0-for-1. Westfield 1-for-3.

UNION COUNTY CUP PLAYOFFS AT WARINANCO

SEEDING: 1-Westfield. 2-Summit. 3-Cranford.

4-Scotch Plains. 5-Johnson. 6-Gov. Livingston. 7-Dayton.

QUARTERFINALS

Monday, Feb. 21

Summit 11, Dayton 1

Gov. Livingston 5, Cranford 4

Johnson 7, Scotch Plains 2

Westfield received a bye

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, Feb. 23

Westfield 6, Johnson 0

Summit 12, Gov. Livingston 2

FINAL

Saturday, Feb. 26

Summit 4, Westfield 3