Delbarton gets payback in NJSIAA hockey final

NEWARK - The Delbarton hockey team returned to the scene of the crime on Monday when it faced off against rival Christian Brothers Academy at the Prudential Center in a rematch of last year’s NJSIAA Non-Public final.

This time, however, there was a happy ending for the Green Wave.

Last March, the Green Wave squandered a three-goal lead to the Colts in the title game and lost in overtime. After the Green Wave won the two regular-season meetings this season, CBA answered by topping Delbarton in the Gordon Cup final.

SEE PHOTOS: Delbarton crowned NJSIAA Non-Public hockey champs vs. CBA 

There was no comeback this time, however, as Delbarton built a two-goal lead after two periods and clamped down defensively in the third to skate away with a 3-1 victory and earn its first Non-Public title in three years.

“The game last year was in the back of our minds with how they came back, but we played a sound defensive game tonight from start to finish,” said Delbarton goaltender Troy Kobryn, who finished with 12 saves. “It was a complete team effort. This team showed a lot of character and heart. It was a long drought for us, but now we’re back on top.”

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After a tentative start to the first period, Delbarton grabbed the lead when senior forward Tyler Kobryn scored off a superb play in the offensive zone by junior Mark Benemerito, who stripped a CBA defender of the puck and slid a slick backhand pass to Kobryn. The big winger buried the puck behind Colts netminder Michael Cernero to put the top seed on top at 7:48.

“It was important to play with the lead,” said Tyler Kobryn. “It’s the best feeling in the world to win this with a great group of guys. We’ve worked toward this for four years.”

The Green Wave did a stellar defensive job in the opening period, limiting CBA to just two shots on goal over the first 15 minutes.

CBA came out with better skating legs and took advantage of a Delbarton turnover early in the second period to pull even at 1-1 when Liam Noonan found the back of the net off the rebound of a Nick Lidondici shot. Kobryn made the initial stop but left a rebound for Noonan to bounce on.

With the Colts gaining momentum after a penalty kill, Delbarton was able to regain the lead at 7:58 when freshman winger John Farinacci snapped a hard wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle that found its way through a screen and past Cernero. It would prove to be the game-winner.

The Green Wave then added to their lead when they cashed in on their second power play of the period. Just 10 seconds into the man advantage, Danny Farr took a back-door feed from Nick Siffringer and rifled a quick shot past Cernero to make it 3-1.

The Colts outshot Delbarton, which killed off a late CBA power play, 8-3 in the second, but the Green Wave scored twice to carry the two-goal lead into the final 15 minutes.

Delbarton failed to register a single shot in the third period, but it didn’t matter, as the Colts managed just three, all handled by Kobryn.

“We knew we didn’t need any more goals after the second period, and our objective was defense in the third,” said Delbarton senior defenseman Andrew Petrillo. “We gave (the lead) up last year, and we weren’t about to let it happen again. We worked from day one to get back here. It’s a little Cinderella story really, and we finished it off perfectly.”