The winning tradition has continued for Brunswick School’s varsity ice hockey team.

Through nine games so far this season, the Bruins, a perennial powerhouse in the NEPSAC, have registered a strong record of 6-3, while playing the majority of their games on the road.

Brunswick opened its 2025-26 campaign at Hartong Rink on Nov. 21st in front of a packed house with a 6-1 win over St. George’s. The Bruins scored three goals in the first period, two in the second, and one in the third on their way to a dominating performance.

The Bruins outshot the Dragons, a playoff team over the last few seasons, 61-15. During the decisive second period, the Bruins outshot St. George’s, 22-2.

Brunswick head coach Mike Kennedy noted that the Bruins “delivered from the opening puck-drop, playing with pace and purpose, and caused turnovers all over the ice with relentless pressure and by getting on top.”

There were several standout moments for Brunswick, including first career goals for junior James Jackson, sophomore Jack Thompson and sophomore Hunter Hanford. Assists and first career points also went to Brunswick juniors Brendan Giles, Hunter Harper, and Trevor DiMaio. 

Junior goaltender Zai Ferraro was rock-solid throughout the 54-minutes matchup, recording a rare assist on the power play, catching St. George’s mid-change and springing a 2-on-0 that senior captain Mason St. Louis finished off into an empty net. 

Brunswick took the momentum they earned in their season-opening victory into the Exeter Invitational on Dec. 6th. They skated to a convincing victory in the nightcap of the Exeter Invitational, topping the hosts by a score of 5-1 in New Hampshire. The Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a well-executed neutral zone chip, which led to a 2-v.-1 rush for seniors Ben Taylor and Owen Gibbons, with the alternate captain burying a one-timer to give the visitors the advantage after the first period.

In the second period, ’Wick separated from the Big Red with three more tallies –– one on a 4-vs.-3 power play by junior Keegan Kazan, the next on a rebound by Gibbons after a low-to-high play in the offensive zone and the final goal on a breakaway by sophomore Hunter Hanford. It was 4-0 in favor of the Bruins following two periods of action.

Sophomore Jack Thompson sealed the scoring in the third period, with the assist going to linemate and classmate Nate Cook. Junior goaltender Evan Akerman made his first start for the Bruins and looked confident between the pipes in the winning effort.

The Bruins took their first loss of their 2025-26 season at the Exeter Invitational on Dec. 7th, as Kimball Union scored the game-winning goal with 2:29 remaining in the third period in a 3-2 victory.

“The first and third 18 minutes were classic prep-school periods – with both teams competing hard, playing with pace, and generating scoring chances,” coach Kennedy noted.

The second period, however, was marred by eight penalties, five of which were charged to Brunswick, and the contest lost its edge without much 5-v.-5 action. The Wildcats registered two power play goals while on 5-on-3 situations and the Bruins answered with one of their own on the man advantage to climb back within a goal before the intermission.

’Wick tied the score with 5:26 to go on another power play goal. The extra man tally was from senior defenseman and Princeton commit Hampus Vandenberg on a one-timer from the left half wall. The stalemate was short lived unfortunately, as Kimball Union found the winner after a point shot found its way into the crease and a Wildcat forward was able to tuck it home. 

Brunswick then made the trip to up to Kent School on Dec. 10 and emerged victorious by an impressive score of 5-2. The host Lions entered the contest unbeaten and highly touted after an early-season win against Dexter last weekend, but it was the Bruins who got the better of the play throughout the 54 minutes of action. Brunswick jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from senior Ben Lombardi and Mason St. Louis, then added another tally on the power play on a snapper from senior Jack McCullough. The Bruins entered the second period with a 3-1 advantage on the Lions.

Kent scored its second power-play goal in the opening moments of the second, but Brunswick answered with 3:13 to go on a low-to-high play from junior Keegan Kazan to senior Hampus Vandenberg. Vandenberg who snapped a low wrister to the net that was knocked home by senior Ben Taylor, giving the Bruins a 4-2 edge after two periods of play.

“In the third the Bruins made the hard plays, kept the shifts short, blocked shots, and took care of the puck at the blue lines to seal the win,” coach Kennedy said.

Taylor finished it off with an empty-net goal in the final minute, making it five goals for four seniors who led the way. Junior Evan Akerman had another solid, steady outing in goal to earn his second victory of this young season. 

Behind a three-goal third period, Brunswick earned a 5–2 victory over Westminster in a matchup held on Dec. 13th at Jackson Rink in Simsbury. The Bruins opened the scoring early in the game on a seam pass from senior alternate captain Jack McCullough, who sprung fellow alternate captain and classmate Ben Lombardi in stride. Lombardi drove wide on his off wing and snapped a shot into the top-right corner to give Brunswick the early 1-0 lead.

Westminster answered just one minute later, tying the game on a tally that deflected in off the foot of a Martlet forward. The goal stood, and the teams went into the first intermission even at one.

Brunswick regained the lead in the second period on a quick 2-on-1 transition finished by junior James Jackson with a snipe under the bar. With the lead, the Bruins relied on junior goaltender Zai Ferraro, who was excellent throughout and made several key saves, to preserve the lead.

Westminster knotted the score early at 2-2in the third period. But Brunswick dug in and responded with its strongest stretch of the game.

With 5:55 remaining, Lombardi won a puck along the half wall and moved it to junior defenseman Alex Zinman at the blue line, who found partner Hampus Vandenberg with a D-to-D pass. The Princeton commit’s low wrist shot through traffic found the back of the net, giving the Bruins the lead for good.

The Bruins added insurance on a green-light breakout when Zinman again connected with Vandenberg, who entered the offensive zone and dropped a pass to Lombardi for his second goal of the afternoon, making it a 4-2 game. Jackson finished the scoring with an empty-net goal with 47 seconds remaining.

Up next for Brunswick was the opening round of the Kevin Mutch Tournament at St. Sebastian’s School on Dec. 19th. The Bruins skated against Rivers School and were defeated, 3-0. The Red Wings proved to be an opportunistic group – scoring one on the power play in the first half and the next on a broken play in front of the Brunswick net midway through the second half. They added an empty net goal to seal the win.

Coach Kennedy’s team quickly regrouped and got back on the winning track, downing Williston Northampton, 1-0, in the second round of the Kevin Mutch Tournament on Dec. 20 in Needham, Mass.

 One goal was all the Bruins needed against their formidable foe, as senior Ben Taylor deflected a point shot from classmate Hampus Vandenberg with 15 minutes to go in the second half to give the Bruins the lead. Senior captain Mason St. Louis won a battle on the half wall before sending the puck up to the blue line to pick up a secondary assist. 

“From there, Brunswick locked in defensively, played a deep game with a high third forward, and kept the shutout intact until the final buzzer – largely thanks to a highlight-reel save with 11 minutes on the clock by junior goalie Zai Ferraro (still not sure how it stayed out or how a human being can stretch like that!,” Kennedy noted.

Still competing in the Kevin Mutch Tournament in Massachusetts, Brunswick rolled to a resounding 6-0 win over Albany Academy on Dec. 21st. With senior Ben Taylor out of the lineup due to illness, sophomore Colton Cleaves took advantage of his promotion to the line with senior Mason St. Louis and junior James Jackson and notched two goals, including the first of his Brunswick career and an assist in the first half to spark Brunswick’s offensive outburst.

St. Louis, senior Owen Gibbons, and sophomores Jack Thompson and Hunter Hanford also hit the scoresheet in the Bruins’ final game before the Holiday break. Junior Evan Akerman earned the win in between the pipes. 

Coach Kennedy provided a significant statistic the team has earned over the first part of the season. Stat of the first half: “The Bruins have given up only 13 goals (excluding empty netters) in nine games – the team’s commitment to defense has paid dividends and helped the Bruins to a solid 6-3 record thus far.”

Brunswick will remain on the road, as it will compete in the Belmont Hill/Nicholas Tournament from Jan. 2-4 at Belmont Hill School. The Bruins, who have played just one home game so far this season, return to Hartong Rink on Jan. 9th for a home game against Albany Academy.