The Newtown-New Fairfield hockey team visited North Branford at Northford Ice Pavilion on February 18. The Rebelhawks came out flying, jumping to an early lead against the Thunderbirds before ultimately falling 4-2 in a hard-fought contest. Jackson Molison struck first, finishing off a beautiful two-on-one pass from Colby Cheneski to give his team a 1-0 advantage. Goaltender Carter Bisson earned the secondary assist on the play, starting the rush that led to the goal.

Riding the momentum, the Rebelhawks doubled their lead later in the first period. Jack Meade found the back of the net after strong work along the boards from Ethan Freylikhman, who set up the scoring chance with a crisp assist to make it 2-0. Despite the early surge, the North Branford Thunderbirds responded with resilience. They tightened up defensively and capitalized on their opportunities, scoring four unanswered goals over the remainder of the game to secure the victory.

Although the final score didn’t favor the Rebelhawks, their fast start and balanced offensive effort highlighted the team’s potential and competitive spirit.

Two nights later, the Rebelhawks visited the Spartans at Frederick Gunn School in Washington and fell 3-2 in overtime. The Spartans opened the scoring early, putting the Rebelhawks on their heels. But the response was immediate. Grayson Pimentel evened the score after crashing the net and burying a rebound off a hard shot from the point by Ryan Schmidt. Logan Coster earned the secondary assist on the play, helping set up the sequence that led to the goal. The Spartans regained the lead later in the first period, taking a 2-1 advantage into intermission.

The second period was a defensive battle, with both teams tightening up and neither side able to find the back of the net. Strong goaltending and disciplined play kept the game within one heading into the third. In the final period, the Rebelhawks found their equalizer. Meade scored an unassisted goal to tie the game 2-2, capitalizing on a turnover created by Andrew Stango. The momentum shift sent the game to overtime.

In the extra session, both teams traded chances before the Spartans netted the game-winner with just 1:14 remaining in overtime, handing the Rebelhawks a hard-fought 3-2 defeat. Despite the loss, the Rebelhawks showed resilience, battling back twice and forcing overtime in an intense, competitive matchup.