The goals came early and often for Greenwich High School’s varsity boys hockey team, which just couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the CIAC Division I Tournament when it hosted Notre Dame Prep in an opening-round matchup on March 11th.

The top line of senior Teddy Johnson, senior Hayden Odelfelt and junior John Meehan combined for eight goals for sixth-seeded Greenwich, which had no trouble lighting the lamp in this state playoff game, rolling to a resounding 11-2 victory over 11th-seeded Notre Dame Prep at Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink.

The Cardinals (10-12) play third-seeded Fairfield Prep in today’s (March 14) CIAC Division I quarterfinal-round at Bennett Rink in West Haven at 4 p.m. Fairfield Prep received a first-round bye.

In their highly impressive win against Notre Dame Prep, their third triumph versus Prep this season, Johnson recorded four goals and two assists, Meehan totaled two goals and four assists and Odelfelt had two goals and three assists to power the Cardinals. Greenwich led, 3-0, after the first period, 4-0 following the second stanza and added an eye-opening seven tallies in the third period. Indeed, Greenwich’s top line was productive to say the least.

“Our top line, our yellow line, they had about 20 points between them,” Greenwich coach Neal Rich said. “Meehan, Teddy Johnson, Hayden Odelfelt they were buzzing. They have been playing together all year long. They put up a whole bunch of points for us.”

“It was a very good first period – 3-0 after one, 4-0 after two – just a good look,” Rich continued. “We came out flying, our senior leaders really stepped up. This is their last go of it, so they took it on their shoulders.”

The Cardinals posted an 8-3 win over Notre Dame Prep in their season-opener, then beat Prep, 6-5 in January, before hosting them in the state tourney.

“That previous matchup that we had in overtime we felt that it got away for us, we let up, so that strong start was very important for us,” Meehan noted.

Meehan started the playoff game’s scoring, tallying off assists from linemates Johnson and Odelfelt with 9:36 remaining in the first period. Only 35 seconds later, Johnson scored, with the assists going to Odelfelt and Meehan, giving GHS a 2-0 lead.

Odelfelt’s power play goal from the left faceoff circle made it 4-0 in favor of the Cards at the 8:07 mark of the second period.

“We’ve played together all year and we’ve built a whole lot of chemistry the last two, three months,” Odelfelt said of the Cardinals’ yellow line. “Everyone of our lines scored a goal. It was a whole team effort. We knew that we had beaten this twice, but at the same time, they’re a good team, they gave us a challenge the last time we played them, so we knew we had to come out strong and that’s what we did.”

During the first two periods, junior goalie Will Salib made a number of stellar saves, holding Notre Dame Prep off the scoreboard, as the Cardinals entered the third period with a 4-0 advantage.

“The defense played great, they did really well of clearing the pucks out of the middle and letting me see the puck all the way in,” Salib said.

Johnson said Salib’s play in goal has given the team a significant lift throughout the season.

“Salib has been playing great all year, he’s our backbone,” Johnson noted. “He picks us up when we’re not playing well. We’re a team that comes together and helps each other out.”

Notre Dame Prep went on a 5-on-3 power play with 5:27 left in the second period and also had a 5-on-4 power play later on, but couldn’t get the puck past Salib. Greenwich’s goaltender made numerous nifty saves, including a pair of breakaways.

“Our goalie played great, he made a lot of great saves,” Rich said. “Our senior goalie (Jason Rosenthal) we got in there in the last period and he made some big saves.”

Johnson tallied off an assist from Troy Murray 45 seconds into the third period and junior William Jacobs followed in a shot from junior Max Corbo and put the puck home off a rebound, putting the Cardinals on top, 6-0, at the 13:30 mark of the final period. The goals then came rapidly for the Cards, with Johnson converting another shot with 12:15 to go in the frame.

It was quite apparent that Greenwich was a determined team throughout and left nothing to chance in this state playoff matchup.

“As a senior, it could have been our last game, it’s win or go home now,” Johnson said. “So, every day from here on out is the same thing, it’s a championship mentality. We have to be prepared and ready to play.”

Johnson added another third-period tally, as did Odelfelt for the victors. Sophomore Aidan Murray tallied, with the assist going to sophomore Dylan Murray and Aidan scored again, with junior Thomas Lanzarone assisting, in the third period. Notre Dame received a goal apiece from Connor Zukowski and Andrew Zukowski.

“Every single person on this team contributed to this win, it was awesome,” Rich said. “Defensively, we shut them out until about six minutes in the third. Our ‘D’ held their zone and held their lines and played really well all around.”

Said Johnson: Coach said everyone has their jobs and everyone did their job to the best of their ability and that’s what we need to compete for a state championship.”

The Greenwich-Fairfield Prep winner plays the victor between second-seeded Darien and No. 7 Northwest Catholic in the Division I state semifinals.

“We have Fairfield Prep, a very big challenge, but every team is beatable,” Rich noted. “The way we played tonight – that’s the thing, we’ve got nothing to lose. We’re the underdog and we kind of like being there, because it puts pressure on the other people and we just play our game and do our thing.”

For even more pictures of Greenwich’s 11-2 win over Notre Dame Prep in the state tourney, please visit: https://www.06878photography.com/ice-hockey-2026-ciac-division-1-greenwich-high-school-vs-notre-dame-prep-on-march-11-2026