Newtown High School’s hockey team will lace up the skates for state tournament action, beginning with a first-round contest on Monday, March 4.

The Nighthawks are seeded eighth and will host ninth seed Wilton at Danbury Ice Arena. Game time is 7:40 pm.

A Newtown-Wilton game makes for an enticing matchup given the regular-season clash between these teams. They finished in a hard-fought 3-3 tie in Danbury on January 5. The Nighthawks overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to force overtime.

Wilton was unbeaten at the time and carries a deceptive mark of 9-10-1 overall into the state playoffs. The Warriors lost six games to tough Division I FCIAC foes and is 9-2-1 versus Division III opponents. Newtown stands at 8-11-1 overall, including a 1-1 mark against D-II level teams and 7-10-1 record in D-III games.

“The team is really excited to get back into the state playoffs after missing out on them the past few years,” said Newtown Coach Paul Esposito, adding that the last appearance the Nighthawks made in states came in 2016 when the team lost in first round.

“We’ll be preparing all week for a rematch with Wilton,” Esposito said. “The players know they have a great opportunity and are eager to compete. There’s a strong sense of belief with our team. We know we can compete with all of the teams in the tournament. Wilton will be a tough opponent, but we’ll be ready.”