Brunswick hockey teams edges Berkshire, 3-2, at Hartong Rink; Bruins ranked No. 6 in the Elite 8 hockey standings

By David Fierro on February 16, 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo provided by Brunswick School**: Brunswick School’s Cameron Minella takes a shot on goal during the Bruins’ game against Upper Canada College at Hartong Rink this season. Minella scored a goal in Brunswick’s 3-2 win over Berkshire School at Hartong Rink on Feb. 15, 2025.

Brunswick School’s hockey team earned its 21st victory of the season on Feb. 15, one that coach Mike Kennedy described as “perhaps the biggest of the winter so far.”

The Bruins skated to a well-earned 3-2 win over Berkshire School at Hartong Rink. Brunswick and Berkshire traded goals in the first period, with the visitors getting on the board first on the rush and the hosts answering on the next shift on snapper from inside the blueline by junior Joe Salandra. The first period ended in a 1-1 tie.

Berkshire went ahead early in the second stanza, as the White and Green found a player coming off the bench for a one-timer at the right faceoff dot. Brunswick had a few chances to tie it – one off the crossbar by freshman defenseman Cam Minella – and the Bruins killed two late penalties to keep the deficit at 2-1.

Photo courtesy of Brunswick School: Brunswick’s Blake Stant shoots the puck during the Bruins home game against Upper Canada College. Stant assisted on a goal in the Bruins’ 3-2 home victory versus Berkshire School on Feb. 15, 2025.

In the third period, the Bruins went low to high and funneled pucks to the net with traffic in front. Minella had the first goal of the third period for Brunswick on a seeing-eye wrister, knotting the score at 2-2. Senior Oliver Czaja knocked in the next one (on the next shift) after classmate and captain Blake Stant rang the post and the puck was sitting on the goal line waiting to be tucked home by Czaja.

There were still 12 minutes to play at that point, and Brunswick, leading 3-2, buckled down, chipped pucks out, and dumped pucks deep to secure the big win.

The Bruins travel to Salisbury School Wednesday for a 5 p.m. matchup.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season and four more games for Brunswick, the Bruins hold the sixth seed in the race for the Elite 8 Hockey Tournament.

“Wednesday’s game vs. Salisbury presents a big opportunity to move up and put a firmer grasp on a spot in the top tournament,” Kennedy noted.

Brunswick has 21 wins on the season overall and sports a record of 17-4-1 in the NEPSAC. Salisbury, the Bruins opponent on Wednesday has a NEPSAC mark of 16-5-3 and currently holds the fifth seed in the Elite 8 standings.

Dexter Southfield School is currently seeded No. 1 with a record of 18-2-1.