Fairfield Prep Hockey Rips Notre Dame Of Fairfield, 8-1

The Notre Dame of Fairfield hockey team kept taking penalties and Fairfield Prep kept making the Lancers pay.

A.J. Unker scored a hat track -- including two of the Jesuits' four power-plays goals - as Fairfield Prep routed Notre Dame 8-1 Saturday afternoon at the Wonderland of Ice.

Having Matt Brophy, who had a goal and three assists Saturday, back in the lineup has made a huge difference for Prep's power play, which had been flat for a stretch earlier in the season, according to coach Matt Sather.

"It's nice to have a little more offense spread through the lines and nice to have him back on the power play,"  said Sather, whose team won its 10th straight game to improve to 14-2. "He's does a nice job. He's steady and creative as well. He had four or five great chances and a beautiful goal."

The Jesuits' power play was on fire Saturday, going 4-for-7. They almost had a fifth goal with the man advantage, scoring three seconds after a power play expired. The other times the Jesuits didn't convert came on a short power play on the back end of a 5-on-3 and one for a minute at the conclusion of the game.

"We had four goals, but it was kind of weird how it was working," Unker said. "It wasn't like our natural setup. It was broken plays, but we got the puck in deep and we made the most of opportunities."

However, Lancers' interim coach Steve Hetherman was not thrilled with the officials nor the discrepency in the number of calls. Notre Dame was given just two power plays.

"Terrible refs," Hetherman said.  "A good official is consistent, so you're consistently good or you're consistently bad."

The Lancers got in trouble right away as Unker tallied the Jesuits' first power-play goal just 2:24 in the game, then cashed in another power play to make it 2-0 at 9:27 of the first.

"We always try to have good starts," Unker said. "When we have good starts, we'll really successful as a team. We try to come out hard  every game because that's been really big for us this year."

"We're trying to limit shots and we did a good job of that in the first period," Sather added. "They had four shots (actually five)  and no second-chance opportunities. If we can do that to start a game, we feel like we can be
successful."

And playing from behind is never a good idea against Fairfield Prep, which put on a clinic, outshooting the Lancers by a 39-18 margin.

Of course, Hetherman didn't like either of the penalties that led to Fairfield Prep's first two goals.

"I just want the officials to allow the boys to decide the outcome," he said. "Two power plays on questionable calls.  You give them an advantage, in this case a power play, it's a hard to defend."

The Jesuits' top line was flying throughout the game as David White scored twice in the second period, including Prep's third power-play goal at 12:27 that gave the Jesuits a 4-0 lead.

"Working with A.J. And David, it's really easy," said Brophy, who scored on a breakaway 1:34 into the third for a 5-0 lead. "You give them the puck in any situation, they are going to be able to handle it and do something with it.
Being able to feed off that, it really takes the pressure off yourself and gives you an opportunity to do more things as a unit."

The only blemish for the Jesuits came when Notre Dame's Dave Canfarotta scored a shorthanded goal from the left circle at 4:34, spoiling Riley Wikman's bid for a shutout.

But Unker completed his hat trick 49 seconds later and Liam Ferguson and Matt Wikman added late goals for the Jesuits. Scott Kline finished with 30 saves for Notre Dame.

The loss snapped a four-game winning for the Lancers, who dropped to 7-9. They still need one won to make the state tournament, which would be an impressive accomplishment after a 3-8 start. Notre Dame hosts South Windsor in its next game on Thursday.

"I think they're coming together," Hetherman said. "We had a nice run the last six games, sandwiched by a loss to New Canaan and Prep, but they've played hard."

NOTES: Sather missed practice this week after his wife gave birth to a daughter.The Jesuits' practices were run by assistant coach Rudy Mauritz and Sather's brother, Tim, the Jesuits' goalie coach.