By Andy Hutchison

MILFORD — The Staples High hockey team battled to overtime before falling 4-3 to visiting Shepaug Valley on Friday at the Milford Ice Pavilion.

Trey Wilson scored, and Brett Malizia and Shane Power both tallied their first varsity goals for the Wreckers. Teammates Harry Goodburn, Tyler DiMaio, Wilson and Jameson Russell all had assists. Goaltender Mason Mountain made 23 saves.

The OT loss capped a busy stretch of road games for Staples.

The Wreckers fell 5-3 at Enfield on Dec. 27.  Jacob Gomez, DiMaio and Russell all scored, with Russell hitting the back of the net to tie the game early in the third. DiMaio and Goodburn had assists. Mountain made 29 saves.

“The Wreckers showed a lot of grit, including Mountain, with a strong showing on the road,” Staples Coach Matthew Bohn said.

Staples fell 3-0 at Westhill-Stamford on Dec. 30. Mountain again stood tall, making 50 saves to keep his team in the game.

The Wreckers were doubled up 6-3 by host Wilton, in Ridgefield, on Jan. 3. Russell scored twice and DiMaio scored, while Gomez and Goodburn had assists. Staples had a 2-1 lead after one period of play, but surrendered four goals in the middle stanza.

After more than a week off from game play the Wreckers host Trumbull at Saturday, Jan. 13, in Milford. (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.