Cheshire Varsity Hockey
            CHESHIRE RAMS HOCKEY

Head Coach - Jim Riccitelli   
Assistant Coaches - Pete Simone, Jamie Riccitelli,  Mike Barillaro

1 George Donnarumma             Goalie               12
2 Spencer Hackett                     Defense            9
4 John Cunningham                   Defense            9
5 Matt DuPont                             Forward          10
6 Drew Cunningham                  Defense           11
7 Alan Dagesse (Co-Capt)        Defense           12
8 Tyler Arpin (Co-Capt)             Forward           12
9 Michael Diglio                          Forward           11
10 Greg Breda                           Forward           11
12 Tyler Violano                        Forward             9
14 Mike Devine                          Forward            11
15 Ryan Carbone                      Forward            12
16 Joe Violano                          Forward            12
17 Ryan Powers                       Forward            10
18 Eric Olander                          Forward           12
19 Ryan Hanley                         Forward            12
21 Kyle Murgo                           Forward             9
22 Nate Gaudio                          Forward            11
23 JD Keegan                            Defense            11
25 Colby Olin                              Defense           11
27 Will Devine                             Defense            9
29 Alex Vendetto                       Forward            9
30 Tyler Carbone                       Goalie                9
Nate Turner                              Forward           12
Trevor Bond                             Forward           10
Dave Brzozowski                     Forward            9
Tom Bartlett                              Forward             9

Team Mgr Colby Gibbs     
Team Mgr Samantha Loignon     
Announcer Mark Malloy     
Rams Can't Hold Lead, Eagles Win 6-3
Cam Hatch and Scott Mack scored two goals
apiece as East Catholic scored five unanswered
goals in the third period en route to a 6-3 win at
Wesleyen.
When Ryan Carbone scored 2 minutes and 16
seconds into the third period on a feed from
Ryan Hanley, it looked as if the Rams were on
their way to their 9th win of the season.  The goal
put Cheshire up 3-1 but East Catholic would
score 5 goals in 11 minutes and the Rams were
looking at their second loss of the year and
second in a row.  They will try to bounce back on
Saturday at 8:30 when they visit the Northford Ice
Pavillion for a matchup with Branford.  Hanley's
goal was his third point of the game, as he
assisted on a first period goal by Alan Dagesse
and a second period goal by Mike Devine.  
Devine and John Cunningham added assists for
the Rams (8-2-1)
Rams Hold on to Beat Branford 2-1
It was a very familiar scene.  The Cheshire Ram Hockey
team saw themselves up 2-1 going into the third period.  
Less than a week ago, this same team was up 2-1
against East Catholic going into the third.  Cheshire then
scored the first goal of the third, but then imploded, giving
up 5 unanswered goals in a 6-3 loss.  Fast forward to last
night's game against Branford at Northford.  In a very
physical contest with both teams finishing their checks
and crashing the goal whenever possible, Branford would
strike first.  With the Indians shorthanded, Anthony Nuzzi
broke in on the right side and beat Cheshire goaltender
George Donnarumma  high to the glove side to put
Branford up 1-0.  Branford carried the play most of the
first period with Tyler Arpin having the sole Ram scoring
chance, but Donnarumma kept Cheshire in the game with
a number of good stops.  The Rams came out of the gate
flying with Arpin converting a feed from Nate Gaudio 17
seconds into the second period to tie the game at 1.  
Cheshire's aggressiveness would backfire however as
the Rams took back to back penalties about halfway
through the stanza, giving Branford a two-man
adavantage.  This is where the game turned.  So many
times, momentum swings in a hockey game due to a big
penalty kill.  That is exactly what happened here, as Mike
Devine picked the pocket of the Indian defenseman just 25
seconds after the Rams killed off the penalties and
deposited the puck, top shelf to put the Rams up 2-1.  This
time, Donnarumma and the Rams would not be denied a
victory.  Branford came out in the third and forechecked
with three guys deep, putting the pressure on Cheshire
defenseman Colby Olin, JD Keegan, John Cunningham,
and Spencer Hackett.  Donnarumma had a couple of big
saves in the period.  At 2:05 he robbed Nuzzi with a glove
save along the ice and at 4:10 made a great pad save,
directing the rebound away from the front of the net,
something he did all night allowing the defense to
transition the puck to forwards Arpin, Gaudio, Mike Diglio,
and Mike Devine.  With 6:11 left in the game freshman
defenseman Spencer Hackett made a diving break up of a
Branford winger breaking in all alone on the right side.  
From that point on, the Rams stabilized their play holding
off the Indians attack with the goalie pulled and came
away with a hard fought 2-1 win.  The Rams are now
9-2-1
Cheshire Skates Past Trojans 4-0
Rams End Lyman Hall's 9 Game Win Streak
The Cheshire Ram Hockey Team came out skating
and defending their own zone in a 4-0 win over Lyman
Hall in a game that was not that close.  Although the
official count of shots on goal was 29-13 for Cheshire,
this reporter saw it more like 45-8.  This game clearly
showed the gap between a big and fast Ram team
and a Lyman Hall squad that has the toughest part of
it's schedule ahead of them.  What was evident from
the start of this game was the Ram offense
continuously out-skating a much slower Trojan
defense.  Mike Diglio and Eric Olander in particular
seemed to be everywhere, forechecking vigorously
and setting up many scoring chances for Tyler Arpin,
Mike Devine, Nate Gaudio, and Ryan Carbone.  On the
other end of the ice, Lyman Hall was consistent in
their attempts to carry the puck into the Cheshire zone
to start up their offense.  This strategy did not work as
the skilled Ram defense led by Alan Dagesse, John
Cunningham, JD Keegan, Colby Olin, and Spencer
Hackett used superior poke checks and body work to
thwart the Trojan's effort.  Despite their lack of
success, LH refused to change to a dump and chase
method that was working so well for the Rams.  After a
scoreless first period, the Rams quickly attacked as
they started the second on a power play.  For two
minutes the Rams did everything but score, peppering
the LH net for 4 scoring chances.  After the Rams
killed a penalty on John Cunningham for holding, the
offense kicked in.  Mike Devine started the scoring on
a beautiful shot to the top right corner on a feed from
Cunningham.  On the ensuing face off, won by LH
back to the defense, Mike Diglio came flying in, picked
the pocket of the Trojan defender and beat the goalie
to make it 2-0.  Then, at 12:28 Colby Olin scored a
power play goal from Arpin and Diglio and the Rams
finished the second up 3-0.  Two minutes into the third
period Spencer Hackett threw a knuckleball at the net
from the right point, beating the goalie high on the
stick side to provide the final margin of victory,  Tyler
Violano and Matt Dupont assisted.  The Rams are
right back at it tonight  facing Wethersfield (1-9-1) at
the Connecticut Skating Center on Alumni Rd in
Newington at 8:00  
Cheshire 9 Wethersfield 3
Mike Devine  4 Goals, 1 Assist
Mike Diglio  1 Goal 2 Assists
Nate Gaudio  1 Goal 3 Assists
Tyler Arpin 1 Goal 3 Assists
Ryan Carbone 1 Goal 1 Assist
Ryan Hanley  2 Assists
Eric Olander 1 Goal
Ryan Powers, Matt Dupont, Spencer Hackett, Alan
Dagesse, Drew Cunningham    1 Assist each
Cheshire Beats Amity 3-1
Branford Awaits in the Final Saturday at 7
In SCC Division II tournament action Friday at
Northford Ice Pavilion, top-seeded Cheshire got a
single goal in each period to beat No. 4 Amity 3-1 in
the opening semifinal.

Ryan Hanley, Nate Gaudio and Tyler Arpin scored for
the Rams, who advance to Saturday night's 7 p.m.
final back at Northford Ice Pavilion.
They'll face No. 3 Branford, which held off
second-seeded Lyman Hall 2-1 in Friday's second
semifinal. Branford scored twice in the opening
period. Lloyd Jacques got one back for Lyman Hall in
the final frame.

Lyman Hall, like Cheshire and Southington-Hall, is
also headed for the CIAC state tournament. Pairings
will be released today.
Cheshire 4 Stamford 1
The Four D's Lead the way
Devine, Diglio, Dagesse,and Donnarumma
The Rams scored three times in the first 11
minutes and skated their way to a solid 4-1
victory at Bennett Rink.  The win earns Cheshire
a spot in the CIAC Division 2 State semifinals
against Lyman Hall on Monday at 5:30 at Ingalls
Rink.  Amity will play top seeded Enfield in the
other semifinal at 7:30.  Tyler Arpin started the
scoring in this one 31 seconds in, on a feed from
Alan Dagesse.  Less than 8 minutes later
Dagesse found Mike Devine who buried a wicked
wrist shot for a 2-0 lead.  At 10:29, Mike Diglio
scored unassisted to give the Rams a 3 goal lead
after one.  The second period was very tight
checking and Stamford got on the board at 7:59
on a goal by Steve McCarthy.  That was as close
as it would get as Goaltender George
Donnarumma turned asise all remaining shots
and Ryan Carbone added an insurance goal at
3:22 of the third on a feed from Devine.  The
Rams dominated the territorial play in the third,
keeping the puck in the Black Knights zone for
virtually the entire period.  This was as complete
a win as we have seen and the Rams seem to be
peaking at the right time.  They will need it
against Lyman Hall.  The Rams and Trojans split
their two games this year, with Cheshire winning
the first game convincingly and losing the second
game after building a 4 goal lead.  It should be a
great matchup Monday night at Yale
Cheshire Rams Win State Title 3-2
The Cheshire Hockey Team put together a total
team effort in the biggest of all games and were
rewarded for the effort and coaching with the
Connecticut CIAC Division II Hockey State
Championship Friday night at Ingall's Rink at
Yale University.  The Ram defense, led my the
tournaments Most Outstanding Player Goalie
George Donnarumma, stymied the high flying
Raiders from Enfield and star freshman Robbie
Baillargeon all night.  Cheshire controlled the
middle of the ice all night, not allowing the
speedy Enfield skaters room to use their speed.  
In the end, it was the Rams physical play and
Coach Riccitelli's use of his third and fourth lines
that wore down the Raiiders, who used only two
lines and four defensemen all night.  It seemed
that whenever Baillargeon would get the puck in
the open ice, Ram defense would close quickly.  
John Cunningham, J.D. Keegan, Colby Olin and
Alan Dagesse would put a body on him and not
allow him to wind it up.  Tyler Arpin was around
the star all night as well, providing a big body
presence in effect reducing the rink size.  The
top scorers for the Rams played their game with
Nate Gaudio scoring the first Ram goal on a
aerial pass from Mike Diglio.  Gaudio chased the
puck behind the defense and wristed it in for a
1-0 lead.  After Enfield tied it on a Christan
McNair goal, Diglio would find the back of the net
on an amazing tough angle shot from the right
side, putting it over the shoulder of the Enfield
Goalie, Justin Boice.  With the score tied 2-2 in
the third, Alan Dagesse scored the game winner
at 8:46.  Donnarumma made 4 key saves in the
last 30 seconds to ice the Championship.
CONGRATULATIONS