Middletown North over Manalapan – Boys ice hockey recap (PHOTOS)
Middletown North netted four goals in the third period on its way to a 6-2 season-opening win over Manalapan at Howell Ice Arena in Farmingdale.
Middletown North took the early lead on a short-handed goal before Manalapan’s (1-2) senior Dylan Stein scored on a power play with 2:22 left in the first period on assists from senior Nicholas Weissman and freshman James Stevens.
Manalapan then took the lead in the second period behind a goal by junior Thomas Pearsall with assists from senior Ryan Bechutsky and Stevens about six minutes later.
Middletown North’s sophomore Jimmy Mullarney tied the game with his first of two goals on assists by senior Bob Fitzgerald and junior Charles Timmes with 3:30 left in the period on a power play.
Fitzgerald scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period for Middletown North, assisted by Jace Koeninsmark and senior Connor North, before Mullarney’s second goal about three minutes later off assists by junior J.J. Bifulco and senior Aidan Cook.
Sophomore Andrew Gross fed Timmes for Middletown North’s fifth goal with just under six minutes left in the game as Gross netted the final goal, assisted by sophomore Thomas Baron and Mullarney with about two minutes left.
