HAMPDEN – In late January, Cheshire Ice Hockey honored 50 years of history with a celebration.
Then the Rams made more history.
Top-seeded Cheshire (24-1-1) capped off its best season ever with a 6-3 victory over an East Haven co-op team in the Division II championship game Monday night at Quinnipiac's M&T Arena. .
It was the Rams' first title since 2011 and the first for coach Anthony Gist.
“It's a great way to end our 50th season,” Guist said. “This year was a record breaking year for Cheshire hockey. Our record of 24 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw is the best ever. The 16 wins in a row is the best record ever. Conference championship.
“We have completely rewritten the hockey record for Cheshire and what a great way to end it with a state championship.”
Senior Biajo Pepe scored four goals for the Rams, and seniors Drew DePodesta and Evan Vasilievs each added one goal.
Cheshire sophomore goaltender Ryan Miller made 28 saves and Cheshire defeated East Haven 37-31.
Biagio Pepe scores with 1:01 left in the first period, giving Cheshire a one-point lead over East Haven, 1-0. #cthk pic.twitter.com/PjUb1bGx1L
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) March 18, 2024
“It's been a historic season so far, and we're all very grateful to have been a part of it,” Pepe said. “To come together as a team, work as a team and score four goals. It wasn't me, it was the team.”
Cheshire lost 5-2 to East Haven earlier in the season, but that result was erased from the record books when the Yellow Jackets were forced to forfeit 14 games due to the use of ineligible players.
Still, the Rams didn't forget that. The same goes for their loss in the first round of last year's tournament.
“We preached that to the kids when they were freshmen, and it felt terrible to get eliminated in the first round last year,” Pepe said. “I knew I had to redeem myself this year.”
Pepe scored the first goal with 1:01 left in the first period. The Rams scored in quick succession for their second goal. The first goal was scored by Depodesta with 12:42 remaining, and the second goal was scored by Pepe on the power play almost two minutes later. Vasilyevs made it 4-0 early in the third.
Then things got interesting. East Haven scored two goals in two minutes. East Haven fans went wild at M&T Arena when Lorenzo Difilio added a short goal to make it 4-3 with 4:22 left and 4:22 left in the game.
“I was a little excited at the end,” Guist said. “But we've dealt with it all year long. We've had leads, we've given up leads, we've reversed things at the end of games. Those experiences can prepare us perfectly for our situation tonight. I thought.
“We knew East Haven wasn't going to quietly disappear. It was a more exciting ending than we had hoped for, but it was a good ending.”
Pepe gave the Rams an insurance goal with 2 minutes and 15 seconds left, and a goal into an empty net after East Haven pulled its goaltender with a minute left.
Guist told his players to enjoy the ride. After the game, Cheshire's players lay down on the ice and formed ice angels as celebrations swirled. Long after the game ended, some returned to the ice with their medals around their necks, looking up into the stands and soaking in the moment.
“We set goals along the way: we want to qualify for the state tournament, we want to win the conference, everything else. But we have to enjoy each step of the way because it goes so fast. ,” Guist said. . “Before today's game, before I went into the room, I said, 'Guys, take a deep breath, look around you, and enjoy what you're going through.'
“I think we really embraced this moment, and it shows in the celebration at the end.”
