The Tottenville Club Ice Hockey team was undefeated all season and the Pirates were not about to lose in the biggest game of the year, as the Huguenots capped off a nearly perfect season on Wednesday with a 6-4 win over St. Joseph-by-the-Sea in the Staten Island Skating Pavilion Club Ice Hockey Championship.
Tottenville finished the season with 11 wins, 0 losses and one tie after losing in the finals the past two seasons in a row.
Eric Lavinski had a hat trick and added an assist in the championship win to cap off the win, Dante DiVita had two goals and an assist and Joe Massanova rounded out the scoring.
James Lamantia led the offense with three assists.
Perhaps the biggest contributor to Tottenville's victory was team MVP Andrew Barron, who often had his head down in front of the basket.
“Much of our success is due to his exceptional performance,” Tiro said. “Throughout the playoffs, Andrew Barron demonstrated unwavering skill and determination, making key saves and standing strong to secure the championship victory. He was unconscious throughout the playoffs and regular season.”
Tiro also praised the performances of defensemen John Shipley, Nick Ho, Mike Zarek and Alex Naumov, and forwards Thomas and Nicolas Conti, Daniel Musinski, Joe Zarek and Jacob Sholomovich.
“It was a total team effort,” he said. “Their tenacity and determination overcoming adversity all season (paid off).”
“It was a great win for the boys,” said Lavinski, a senior. “We fought hard, we were a machine offensively and played great defensively. To win a championship in your final year, you can't hang with anyone else.”
“This game meant a lot to the coaching staff and players and we knew we had to be physical and put the puck on the net,” Musinski added. “We'd lost the finals the past two seasons and were hoping for a different result this time around, so we knew we had to fight hard. You couldn't ask for better players for four years.”
Tilo is hoping to see the club reach a fourth consecutive final next season and is pleased with the standard his programme has set.
“The Tottenville Pirates have set a high standard in the SISP Championship Club Ice Hockey League and demonstrated what can be achieved through dedication, teamwork and a relentless pursuit of excellence,” he concluded.
