WEST WINDSOR – As time ticked down in the first period, Zach Duggan crossed the net, saw a feed and got his stick up in time to tip the puck into the net.
That goal was just the tip of the iceberg for Duggan and the Robbinsville/Allentown hockey team.
It was an impressive opening day performance for Robbinsville/Allentown as it rolled to a 10-0 victory over West Windsor-Plainsboro Co-op in a Colonial Valley Conference game Friday afternoon at the Mercer County Skating Center.
Duggan’s goal was excellent and he followed it up with a couple more to open the season with a hat trick.
“Coach Bergan likes screens and Ray (Como) shot high and I just put my stick in there and hit it,” Duggan said of the tip. “It’s my first high school hat trick and it feels really good. My linemates Charlie (Luitza) and JP (Sphere) gave me every chance to score.”
R/A scored three goals in the first period and repeated the feat in the second, making it a comfortable 6-0 at the second break.
With Duggan leading the charge, Robbinsville/Allentown (1-0) got a pair of goals from Charlie Luizza and Anthony Toth and singles from Luke Gensinger, Jack LaChance and John Paul Sferri.
“After the game, the ref came up and said, I know you lost (Charlie) Polito and a couple of other guys, but you guys look better than you did last year,” Robbinsville/Allentown coach Dan Bergan said. “We have a junior class that brings everything together. It was good to see some early scorers.”
Luizza did a great job scoring goals with three assists, Sphere had three, as did Raymond Come, Jack Lawrence and Jack Morgan, Michael Buchanan and Brendan Godain, who each had one helper.
West Windsor-Plainsboro (0-1) is a very young team that will improve as the season progresses.
Syed Muhammad Ned-E-Ali was in net for WW-P and did a very decent job making 33 saves.
It didn’t take long for the Ravens to get going as Gensinger scored just 59 seconds into the game.
“If you asked what aspect of the game, I was most impressed with the pass,” Bergan said. “The pitching was crisp and we have some kids with good hockey IQ. We’ve got some formidable opponents, so we’re going to see how that holds up.
Luizza scored the second goal of the game and set up Dagan’s stunning tip-in.
“It was awesome,” Dugan said. “We had some fans here and it was nice to get the win in front of them. We are in good shape and playing very well.”
Could this just be the tip of the iceberg for Robbinsville/Allentown?
West Windsor-Plainsboro (0-1) 0 0 0 – 0
Robbinsville/Allentown (1-0) 3 3 4 – 10
Goals: R: Duggan 3, Tota 2, Luizza 2, Gensinger, Sphere, LaChance.
Assists: P: Luisa 3, Sphere 3, Lawrence 2, Como 2, Morgan, La Chance, Duggan, Gensinger.
Shots: WW-P 14, R/A: 43. Saves: WW-P: Syed Muhamad Ned-E-Ali 33, R/A: Zander Wiley 14.
