By Andy Hutchison

DANBURY — The Staples High hockey team fell 3-2 to the Newtown-New Fairfield co-op Friday at Danbury Ice Arena. 

With the loss, the Wreckers fell to 2-1 this season.

Staples allowed a goal in the opening minute of the game and another with just 35 seconds left in the first period before twice cutting two-goal deficits to a single tally.

Jacob Gomez was assisted by Harry Goodburn early in the middle stanza. it remained a 2-1 game until the late stages of regulation.

Staples goaltender Mason Mountain made 24 saves on 27 shots, and Newtown-New Fairfield netminder Max Browne (14 saves) kept the scoring close. The Wreckers may have been outshot, but had some quality chances and were stymied on multiple breakaways.

Newtown-New Fairfield scored a key insurance tally with 3:03 remaining in the third. Staples got a late-game power play and pulled Mountain for the extra attacker. The Wreckers capitalized when Goodburn, set up by Cooper Paul and Jameson Russell, deposited a rebound with 13 seconds remaining.

The Wreckers look to bounce back when they visit the Enfield co-op Wednesday, Dec. 27; faceoff is at 3:50 p.m. (Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest CIAC updates.)

Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories in Fairfield County, since the 1990s.