For the Northern Highlands hockey players, December 26 represented Christmas Day #2, only this time they gifted themselves. The Highlanders found a way to subdue West Milford, 4-3, earning a berth in the Bergen County tournament with the win.
While their spot won’t be truly conformed until after the January 5 cutoff, the Highlanders are 4-2 with only two games remaining before that cutoff date. With only a maximum of 12 teams in Bergen County that can get to a .500 or better record, they have earned one of the 12 spots in the tournament.
We didn’t want to be a committee choice, we wanted to earn our way in and we’ve done that,” NH head coach Jason Beswick said, though it was not an easy road against the Highlanders of West Milford.
West Milford played better than their 2-7-1 record would indicate, but they left the door open just enough for Northern Highlands to take advantage, beginning with the game’s opening goal.
Thomas Sullivan was left wide open in the slot and he deflected Henry Riccitelli’s shot from the point over the shoulder of WM goaltender Ryan Browne for the opening goal 8:15 into the first period. That was quickly followed up by a Dylan Koh goal at 9:56, which was set up by a WM turnover in its zone. Koh got to the right slot and fired high.
To its credit West Milford came back to tie the game, starting with a Dylan Dinzik goal 13:36 into the first, with Dinzik going top shelf right. That shifted momentum, and the Highlanders evened it up at 3:04 of the second on a Chris Dressler tally. He beat NH netminder Richard Vincent five hole from just off the top of the crease.
It was the first of a three-goal flurry, with freshman Sean Vlasich scoring off a rebound at 4:36 and Brandon Little retying the game at 5:13. Vlasich swooped in from the right side and surprised Browne (17 saves), while Little caught NH in a defensive lapse.
That left it to Weiner, who scored at 10:33 of the second. It was also only the third goal of the year for the third line, something that the Highlanders will need more of if they are to have any success in the county tourney or the Big North Freedom.