Smithtown powers its way to Game 1 win

Thomas Dunn had four assists and Daniel Nelson scored twice as Smithtown held off Connetquot-Sayville 4-3, in Game 1 of the Suffolk County High School Hockey League Championship Series, Monday night at the Rinx in Hauppauge.

Smithtown scored four power play goals and jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the third period to put the game out of reach and the best-of-three series in its favor. Connetquot-Sayville scored twice late in the third to make it close, but Smithtown goalie Thomas Drapala held strong in the final minutes to secure the Bulls’ victory.

“The boys played incredible tonight,” Smithtown coach Vincent Granice said. “It was unbelievable.”

Connetquot-Sayville led 1-0 early, but Smithtown scored four unanswered goals and took advantage of T-Bird penalties.

“The team that’s the most disciplined will come out on top and that’s what my boys did tonight,” Granice said.

Game 1 of the Suffolk Finals most resembled the first meeting between these two teams on Oct. 19, in which Connetquot-Sayville took 17 penalties and lost the game 3-1. The T-Birds hope that Game 2 will be more like their second regular-season meeting with Smithtown on Jan. 9, in which the T-Birds stayed out of the box and won, 5-3.

“The same thing that caused problems in our first game against [Smithtown] cost us again,” Connetquot-Sayville coach Bruce Kollmar said. “Luckily we get to play them again and our guys have figured out you can’t score from the penalty box.”

Granice said the Bulls will be ready for a more determined T-Bird effort in game 2. 

“Connetquot’s no easy team, they’ll be prepared next time,” Granice said. “They’re very strong and competitive so I expect them to come out hard. I told our guys to enjoy this tonight but tomorrow we’ve got to be prepared to play them.”

Game 2 is Wednesday night at the Rinx in Hauppauge at 9:20 p.m.