In a thrilling NJSIAA Non-Public semifinal on March 5, 2025, Delbarton edged out St. Joseph (Montvale) with a 5-4 overtime victory, securing their spot in the state championship game.
The Green Wave put plenty of pressure on Green Knight goalie Gabe Florio early, but could finish with a goal. On the powerplay, a misplayed puck led to a Ryan Beanland breakaway, scoring a shorthanded goal, giving his team an early lead. Responding swiftly as Jack Gerne netted the equalizer on a rebound for the 1-1 tie. As the minutes ticked down in the first, Matteo Conte sent a shot from the blueline through the defense for a goal, giving Delbarton a 2-1 lead after one period.
Delbarton extended their lead to 3-1 with a goal from Aidan Pasic midway through the second period, but Logan Hughes tied the score on his first of three goals and followed up with another breakaway goal to tie the score at 3-3 after two periods.
The third period brought a lot of action, with aggressive play by both teams on the ice. With the score tied at 3-3, Sean O'Gwen scored a huge goal with just over 34 seconds remaining, making it 4-3. However, Logan Hughes completed his hat trick, leveling the score at 4-4 and pushing the game into overtime with a goal with just under 14 seconds remaining, sending the semifinal to overtime.
Just two minutes into the extra period, Sean O'Gwen sent a rocket passed Florio's glove scoring his second goal of the night, clinching the victory for the Green Wave.
Key Player Statistics:
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Delbarton:
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St. Joseph (Montvale):
With this victory, Delbarton (21-1-1) advances to the state championship game, where they will face CBA, who defeated Don Bosco Prep 4-1. The championship is scheduled for March 10, 2025 at 3:15pm from the Prudential Center.
New this season, the Most Valuable Player of each championship game will be awarded the inaugural Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau MVP Award. The New Jersey Devils have established the Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau Most Valuable Player Award to honor their legacy to the game of NJ hockey.
