Playing Section V’s top-ranked team and the third ranked team in the state is no way to celebrate senior day, but Hilton hung with Penfield for two periods before falling 4-1 in high school hockey.
Penfield scored at 4:29 of the first period, but were held in check the rest of the way with Cadets junior defenseman Zach Mooney batting a puck away from the goal line on a last minute scramble in front of the Hilton net.
The Patriots extended that lead to 2-0 just 30 seconds in the second period, but the Cadets rebounded quickly.
Senior defenseman Anthony Gaede netted his first goal of the season at 2:58 of the period. Sophomore center Jake Lantz won the offensive zone draw back to classmate Nate Higgins, who while falling down managed to tip the puck to Gaede who pounded it into the net.
It remained a one-goal Penfield lead as junior defenseman Tyler Blackburn blocked two shots on the same shift late in the period.
After the Cadets threatened to tie the game in the third, Penfield put those hopes out of reach with two goals 64 seconds apart.
“I was disappointed,” Hilton head coach Chris Monfiletto said. “The second period is how we can play as a team (they outshot the Patriots 11-3), but we got caught on our heels in the third.”
The Cadets finished the regular season 11-9 overall going 10-4 over their last 14 games after starting the season 1-5. They were seeded sixth in Division I and were to play the Greece Lightning in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
Seniors playing in their final regular season home game were Gaede, Mitch Palumbo, John Messura who dedicated the game to his grandfather Ralph who died in January, Ted Cessna and Chris Conant.
