Bridgewater, NJ – The West Chester Wolves came up short in a competitive game against the Rockets Hockey Club on Friday night, falling 4-2 at the Bridgewater Sports Arena.
The Wolves got off to a strong start, with Owen Norman opening the scoring at 14:34 of the first period off assists from Anton Berg and Seiya Ishida. Goaltender Luca Torriero held firm in net, making 13 saves to preserve the 1-0 lead heading into the second period.
The Rockets found their stride in the middle frame, scoring twice in quick succession. Tristan Venne tied the game at 10:49, and Tyler Kusznier added another less than a minute later to give the Rockets a 2-1 lead. The Wolves answered back at 13:06 when Bryan Weissler converted on a setup from Berg and Emil Szepesi, leveling the score at 2-2.
A physical game saw penalties come into play, with both teams spending significant time in the box. Roman Cicco received a major penalty and game misconduct for fighting early in the second period, and a series of penalties late in the third hindered the Wolves' chances to mount a comeback.
The Rockets capitalized in the third period with Timotej Varga scoring the game-winner at 13:18, and Jared Rothman added an insurance goal at 19:14 to secure the win.
Torriero was busy throughout the game, making 41 saves on 45 shots, while Rockets goaltender Derek Wood stopped 28 of 30.
The Wolves will look to regroup and refine their game as they prepare for their next matchup.
