Community Corner
Fairfield Prep Hockey Stretches Winning Streak To Eight Games
David Griffin and A.J. Unker each score twice in 5-3 victory over Ridgefield
The Fairfield Prep hockey team stepped out of the Southern Connecticut Conference on Wednesday night and faced a major challenge against Ridgefield, one of the top teams in the FCIAC.
The Jesuits surrendered three goals in a game for only the second time this season, but had enough offense to turn back the Tigers 5-3 at the Wonderland of Ice.
David Griffin and A.J. Unker each scored twice for Fairfield Prep, which posted its eighth straight victory to improve to 14-2.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
After a scoreless first period, Griffin and Craig Puffer scored 20 seconds apart to give the Jesuits (14-2) a 2-0 lead 2:43 into the second period.
Ridgefield, however, battled back, closing within 2-1 on Timothy Kelly's goal at 7:53 on the second.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Tigers then carried the play early in the third, tying the contest on Terrance Guider's backhander between the legs of Prep goaltender John Galiani at 3:25.
At that point, Ridgefield (13-4) was outshooting the Jesuits 4-0 in the period. However, Prep's defense clamped down, allowing only one more shot for the remainder of the contest.
Griffin put the Jesuits back in front with the prettiest goal of the night. He took a centering pass in the slot from Bryan Puffer and beat Tigers netminder Nate Gliedman with a one-timer high to the glove side.
Just over 2 1/2 minutes later, Unker tallied a bad-angle goal, as his shot from the goal line banked in off the skate of Gliedman for the eventual winner.
Ridgefield didn't go quietly, slicing the deficit in half when Sean Wilkinson knocked in a loose puck in front with 3:14 remaining.
Wilkinson was coming off a spectacular game in which he registered three goals and four assists in a 9-0 rout of Norwalk-McMahon on Monday.
However, Unker put away Wednesday's contest with an empty-netter with 25 seconds remaining.
Despite the eight goals, there weren't a ton of great scoring chances. Galiani stopped 15 shots for the Jesuits and Gliedman made 18 saves for the Tigers.
Fairfield Prep is back in action on Saturday, when it hosts Notre Dame of West Haven.
