Four games, four victories.

Yes, it has been another perfect week for Brunswick School’s varsity ice hockey team.

The Bruins remained perfect in 2024, running their dominant unbeaten streak to 17 games with a 5-3 triumph over The Hill School at Hartong Rink on Saturday afternoon. Brunswick, which rolled to an 8-2 win against Hill Friday in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, sports an impressive record of 15-1-2 heading into its school’s exam week.

Brunswick takes the ice again on Saturday when it hosts Hoosac School at Hartong Rink.

In Saturday’s matchup against The Hill School, the Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead, before the Blues rallied to close to within 3-2. The hosts led 4-3 late in the third period, then registered an empty-netter in the final seconds.

“Last night (Friday) obviously was a little less stressful than today,” Brunswick coach Mike Kennedy said. “We knew they were going to come in here and put up a competitive fight and they did that. That’s why you play the game, one team can beat somebody 8-2 on a Friday night, but then you can play a one-goal game and it can go the other way on the next day. It was a good test for our team and I thought we found a way to win.”

Senior forward Ryan Wachtel recorded two goals and one assist, while junior forward Tucker Spiess, senior forward/captain Sean Gibbons and Brendan Giles, also a senior forward added one goal and one assist apiece for the rolling Bruins.

“The boys in the locker room are really close,” Wachtel said, while discussing the squad’s success. “We have 14 seniors who have known each other since freshman year. So, I feel like that’s bought us a little closer together.”

Wachtel’s goal off assists from junior Oliver Czaja and Spiess gave Brunswick a 1-0 lead on Hill 10:30 into Saturday’s matchup. The Bruins extended their advantage when Spiess snapped home a shot just 1:48 into the second period. On the play, Wachtel and senior defenseman Carter Hall were each credited with assists.

Keeping the pressure on the visitors from Pennsylvania, the Bruins seized a three-goal edge 3:43 into the second period. Wachtel sent the puck to Gibbons, who got loose on a breakaway and buried a shot from close in, making it 3-0.

Hill School lit the lamp with 8:43 remaining in the second period, then after going on a 5-on-3 power play, closed to within 3-2, scoring with 5:52 to go in the frame.

A clutch shorthanded goal by the Princeton University-bound Wachtel gave the Bruins some breathing room, however. His spectacular goal off a great individual effort, put the hosts on top, 4-2, 15:17 into the second period.

“Ryan Wachtel had a heck of a night – a great set up on that first goal of the second period to Spiess,” Kennedy noted. “When our backs looked a little against the wall there in the second period, they just cut the game to one and they had a couple more minutes on their major penalty the power play – that was a huge goal to turn things back a little bit our way.”

“Give credit to Wachtel, I think he was probably the player of the game,” Kennedy continued. “In a one-goal game, you have to play well defensively and win battles in the corners and block shots. Our forwards and our defensemen were all willing to do that.”

Seeking to avoid a second straight loss to the Bruins, the Saints again made it a one-goal game with a goal at the 15:19 mark of the third period – a tally slicing Brunswick’s edge to 4-3. Yet an empty-netter from Giles with 10 seconds to play in the game sealed the Bruins’ 13th consecutive win.

“Last night, (Friday night) we beat them pretty badly, so I feel like they wanted to come back tonight and give it to us,” Wachtel noted. “I thought we did a good job of weathering that and coming back.”

Said Brunswick senior forward/captain Luke Drury: “The season has been great so far. Today, we had a great start and a good first half. Their goalie stood on their head, he was great, but we kept things going. We kept getting pucks to the net.”

Brunswick outshot Hill, 36-20 and received 18 saves from senior goalie Will Baker, who has been sensational between the pipes all season. On Friday against Hill on the road, linemates Spiess and Czaja combined for five goals, with Spiess recording a hat trick and Czaja tallying twice. Czaja also registered two assists Friday for the Bruins, who received one power play goal apiece from Drury and Wachtel.

Drury appreciates his role as one of the Bruins’ captains.

“It means a lot – a two year-captain before me James Shannon – he was a close friend,” Drury said. “He really showed me the ropes in how to lead the team.”

The Brunswick varsity hockey team is enjoying a sensational season. The Bruins have a record of 15-1-2.

The Bruins will look to continue their long success streak when they host Hoosac School on Saturday, which to Brunswick, begins their second half of the season.

“We just need to keep improving every game, non-stop,” Drury said. “We want to win the Elite 8, it’s never been done and we want to be the first (Brunswick) team to do it.”

“We should stick to what’s working,” Wachtel said. “We’ve been finding scoring all around the lineup, so that’s key too.”