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HIGH SCHOOL BOYS HOCKEY-WHO'S THE BEST GOALIE?
While high-scoring forwards tend to get the most attention from fans and the media, a team can ride the shoulders of a talented goalie during the regular season and through the CIAC state tournament. It's not unheard of to see a team with around a .500 record ride a hot goalie all the way to the championship game in any division.
The question is, who is the best goalie this season? Is there a standout or are there several out there who could lead their team to the promised land of championship heaven?
Two of the most talked about goalies lately happen to be on two of the hottest teams in Division I - Anthony Avitable of Hamden and John Palmieri of East Haven.
Hamden, ranked No. 1 in the Register Top 10 poll, is 7-1 overall and 6-0 against Connecticut competition. In those six games, Avitable has alllowed only six goals and has shutouts over Hand-Madison and Fairfield Prep.
East Haven is ranked No. 3 in the poll and is 9-0, all against state competition. Palmieri has allowed only 11 goals in nine games and has shutouts over Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe, West Haven and Notre Dame-West Haven.
Are these the top goalies in the area? In the state? What do you think? Do you have an argument for other goalies who you believe are exceptional? Post a comment.
Although Avitable and Palmieri are separating themselves from most others, I happen to believe there are several other good goalies out there. Among the other top goalies in the New Haven area are Mike Cellini of West Haven, Marcus Demchak of Milford and George Donnarumma of Cheshire.
The question is, who is the best goalie this season? Is there a standout or are there several out there who could lead their team to the promised land of championship heaven?
Two of the most talked about goalies lately happen to be on two of the hottest teams in Division I - Anthony Avitable of Hamden and John Palmieri of East Haven.
Hamden, ranked No. 1 in the Register Top 10 poll, is 7-1 overall and 6-0 against Connecticut competition. In those six games, Avitable has alllowed only six goals and has shutouts over Hand-Madison and Fairfield Prep.
East Haven is ranked No. 3 in the poll and is 9-0, all against state competition. Palmieri has allowed only 11 goals in nine games and has shutouts over Fairfield Warde/Ludlowe, West Haven and Notre Dame-West Haven.
Are these the top goalies in the area? In the state? What do you think? Do you have an argument for other goalies who you believe are exceptional? Post a comment.
Although Avitable and Palmieri are separating themselves from most others, I happen to believe there are several other good goalies out there. Among the other top goalies in the New Haven area are Mike Cellini of West Haven, Marcus Demchak of Milford and George Donnarumma of Cheshire.
posted by Dan Nowak at
3:36 PM
16 Comments:
Let's not forget the Division II & III programs here! (AKA the schools not named ND, West Haven, Hamden & Prep). Jason Bellonio has been keeping Guilford at least competitive for 3 straight years now. Sheehan's goaltender Cameron Sidwell, although only a sophomore and playing on a strong team, should get at least a mention here.
No question there are some solid goaltenders on the Division II and III levels, including Jason Bellonio and Cameron Sidwell. George Donnarumma at Cheshire is another and Amity has a pair of solid alternating goalies too.
everybody is overlooking the goaltending of West Haven's Mike Cellini. Although the team is not doing as well as they should, Mike has had some great games including th ndff and ndwh he just won.The only goalies who get recongition are the goalies from the #1 and #2 teams. Let's not forget the others.
You may think these goalie are good but what about a couple of years ago? Goalies such as the NDWH duo of Randy Wolcott and Josh Gaseno, or Ron Bia from west haven, and Carey from Prep. If you take the goalies from today and put them against the teams from a couple of years ago and these goalies you would not know who they were just because of these kids
Good point. However, I was only considering this season's crop of goalies. You can make an argument that last season's group of goalies were as good or even better than this season's goalies.
Good grief - how did this become a turn-back-the-clock piece? If we want to do that, we may as well say that Wolcott didn't hold a candle to his coach, Bobby Chancio. Right? Wrong. Nothing against Randy Wolcott (Jr. Wolfpack by way of Avon Old Farms) or Ron Baia (who's done well for himself at New England College) or anyone else who's tended goal in the greater New Haven area within the last 50 years, but let's not take away from the accomplishments of these kids by trying to compare them to goaltenders of the past. Different teams, different players, different situations. Let's leave the focus on today's crop of kids and give them the credit they deserve...
Tonight, Cheshire's George Donnarumma played a heck of a game, turning away 19 shots in a 4-2 win over Sheehan. Had a 3-0 shutout going until late in the 3rd when Sheehan finally broke it up.
I think it was more a factor of those Sheehan kids not getting anything on their shots, than superior goaltending. Whiffing from the point, throwing floaters at the net or simply missing the net entirely. Don't get me wrong: Donnarumma did his job and he got the win, but Sheehan could have made it a little more intereting. Regardless, on to Amity!
Who's the best goalies for the girls ice hockey
When it comes to who the best girls' goalie is, just pick a team.
I guess you would have to start with Guilford's Nicole Provencher who is clutch in just about every game. Hamden has a pair of goalies who aren't too shabby either. West Hartford and New Canaan have good goaltenders as well.
hate to say it but the best goalie Ive seen all year is the Fermi goalie. Just quicker and Technically better than anyone I’ve seen. Strange to see a losing goalie be congratulated by the other teams fans when he was going off the ice. Was told he was just a junior... Dan did you go to the game? Great High School hockey night.
I have to say that i think Marcus Demchak had a great year this year considering he had a bunch of shots. According to the birds eye view stats he had a .905 save percentage with 517 shots. But there were also other goalie like Zack Back and the Hamden goalie Anthony Avitable who also had great years.
I'd like to speak my mind as well considering I see my name floating around these blogs. Take nothing from the high school goalies of today and their achievements but you have to take into perspective the level of play has dropped off dramatically in Ct high school hockey. The shooters I faced in high school would do some serious damage to the goaltenders of today.
A few years ago I had a conversation with Marty Crouse who has been around for 40 years and has seen quite a few goalies in his day and he said Ron Baia was by far the best he has ever seen I have talked to two current coaches who have been around for a long time and Marty Roos has said Baia could control a game all by himself and ageed to what Crouse said as well as Lou Pane who believed that Matt Delguidice was until Baia came along saying handling of the puck was the best we might ever see at high school level not to mention Ron has had 2 great years at NEC and was 3x goalie of the week in the ECAC and led the league in save pct and ended up the year 17th in the country and was the state player of the year as a junior and the only goalie acknowledged by the register both his junior and senior year as Jason York said back then it would have been an insult to put anyone else in the same category those years---- maybe Dan Nowak will read this and post an article in the register for Ron that would be nice to recognize a great talent ---- if it weren't for his grades he most likely would have been in D1 I rest my case.
Everyone is forgetting about D'Aurio of NDF. Taking the place of Rich Stine(Junior A) and Hubert Morin (Mcgill). A rough start but he took his team to the dance and he had some big shoes to fill. He is definitely one of the elite goalies of the state.
What happened to Ron Baia? It doesn't look like he played for NEC this year ('08-'09). Did he transfer?
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