With the regular season winding down, the Newtown-New Fairfield co-op hockey team ensured that it will continue into the postseason with the Division III State Tournament by going out of state to pick up its eighth victory. The Nighthawks traveled to Berkshire, Mass. to take on Mt Everett on February 16, and the Nighthawks skated away with a 4-0 victory on Berkshire School’s larger, Olympic size rink surface.

Sophomore goaltender Garrett McCollam got the call in net and recorded 28 saves, several of the more difficult variety to pick his first high school shutout.

Newtown-New Fairfield scored two even strength goals and a pair of power play goals. Sebastian Cilia scored the first from the point off a nice dish from Alex Schmidt with a secondary assist to Cam Gouviea. Ryan Anderson finished in front hammering in a rebound with help from Blake Ballard and Ashton Albert on the power play for a 2-0 lead after one period of play. In the second stanza, the Nighthawks made it 3-0 when Anderson had a clean face-off win to Jack Albano who sniped a one-timer inside the far post from the top of the circle.

The final tally came in the third when Quinn Harris picked up his own rebound in front of the sprawled Eagle goalie and tucked the puck in. Freshman Jackson Molison picked up his first varsity point with an assist on the play.

Back in action on February 21, the Nighthawks took on Bethel-Brookfield-Danbury at Danbury Ice Arena and fell 6-1. Newtown-New Fairfield will end the regular season Friday, February 24, with a visit to the Shepaug co-op team at Washington’s Frederick Gunn School Ice Rink; the puck drops at 8:30 pm. In a previous meeting between the teams, the Nighthawks lost 2-1 in overtime. The state playoffs begin in the first week of March.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.