The longest standing rivalry in Connecticut high school hockey resumes on Saturday at the Astorino Rink in Hamden at 2:30 p.m. as Hamden plays host to West Haven, a rivalry that goes back 60 years.
It's a cliche', but throw out the records when these teams face off. It isn't uncommon to see some of the hardest hitting, high-flying action that you will ever see in a high school hockey matchup.
The rivalry can be traced back to 1948. According to the CIAC Web site, both teams met in the first Division I championship game in 1948 with Hamden prevailing with a 3-2 win. The teams have met eight times in the Division I title game and after seven straight wins by Hamden the Westies finally beat Hamden 4-2 for the 1977 championship.
So many great players have come and gone over the years on both these teams.
This year, Hamden comes in ranked No. 2 in the Register Top 10 poll led by Anthony Avitable, one of the best goalies in the state. The Green Dragons struggled a bit on offense early on, but as coach Bill Verneris has tweaked the lines, the scoring has improved.
West Haven is unranked but is enjoying one of its best seasons in recent years. The Blue Devils are led by senior goalies Bob Baylis and Chris Norton, defensemen Mario Quagliani and Ben Borelli and forwards Evan Mink and Nick Centore.
If you plan to go to the game on Saturday arrive early because these games usually sell out quickly.