Harwood Union boys’ hockey played regular rivals Stowe on Saturday, February 17, at the Ice Rink in Waterbury, losing 2 to 1 in a game that coach Matt Migonis said was “incredible.”
“We played Stowe three times this year. The first time was over Christmas break and we won 9 to 5. Since then, we’ve had two games, one we won 3 to 2 in overtime and this one, we lost even though we outshot them in the last two games. The goalie was standing on his head!” he joked.
“I think Stowe played an incredible game last Saturday and so did we. It was really refreshing to watch these two teams play all out. It was a really clean game, one of the better ones we’ve seen this year. The atmosphere was great, and place was packed with people from Stowe and Harwood and even the refs enjoyed it,” he said.
Migonis said that the fact that many Stowe and Harwood athletes know each other and have present and past connections and friendships, makes the competition really enjoyable.
“They bring out moves which you don’t see when they’re playing teams they don’t know so well,” he said.
One player was injured during the game, a freshman who plays youth hockey for Stowe and high school hockey for Harwood. He broke his femur after losing an edge and falling into the boards.
Migonis said that while it was terrible for the player to get injured, the reaction from both teams was one of good sportsmanship, with players from both sides reaching out to find out how he was and voicing concern about him.
Harwood has one regular game left this season. On February 19, Harwood lost to St. Johnsbury 8 to 2. The team’s final regular season game is against Lyndon at 5:30 at the Ice Rink as The Valley Reporter goes to press on February 21.
“We played our first game of the year against them; they beat us 6 to 3. I told the kids that they’d be at the top of the standings and that this week would be a pivotal game,” Migonis said. He said Lyndon was seeded first or second and Harwood fifth.
