The ice hockey team has had a season full of ups and downs so far. With big wins and heartbreaking losses, it is safe to say the team has been fairly inconsistent.

Excluding their first game, 6-0 triumph over Colonia, the team began the year on a bad note losing to Pingry 2-0, Hunterdon Central 1-0, Ridge 7-0, Bridgewater-Raritan 4-2, and Hunterdon Central again 2-1. This put them at a 1-5 to start the year, which was not the start they were looking for.

“Playing two close games with Central was pretty aggravating, because we definitely could’ve won both games if the bounces went our way,” senior leader Greg Bowers said. “Both of those teams are Top 10 among public schools, as well as Ridge, so we knew they were going to be tough games.”

Thankfully, they collected themselves and got a win against Bernards 6-4. It was a highly competitive affair with plenty of offense from both sides.

The winning ways failed to continue with a 4-0 loss to Westfield, a 2-1 loss with Bridgewater-Raritan, and a 4-4 draw tie to Bernards.  Unfortunately, the team’s record dropped 1-7-1.

They were operating throughout these games without key captain Nick Volonnino. Volonnino has had health complications which greatly affected his play. He’s had to sit out or play a small role for a good portion of these games and his full return is still in question.

“I am always a probable for every game,” Volonnino said. “When I can be out there with my team, I try to contribute as much as I possibly can to help us regain the top spot in our conference.”

He is not the only senior player who is suffering from injury as goalie Martin Paro is currently suffering from a groin injury. The team now looks to backs Mike Ricciardi and Dan Volonnino to pick up the slack until Paro gets back.

They’ve done pretty well since they beat Pingry 3-0, Ricciardi’s first game as a starter. He then followed it up with a 3-2 win in front of a packed crowd against rival Montgomery. The team’s winning ways ceased when it traveled to Morristown to square off against one of the best teams in the state. The Raiders were shutout 8-0.

The team is currently 3-8-1 and on an upward trend. Their next three games are very important with match ups against Watchung-Hills, Montgomery, and Bridgewater-Raritan. With lots of hockey left to play, the team has plenty of time to get its record back to .500.