Staples’ Tyler DeMaio moves the puck during action earlier this winter. DeMaio scored in Staples’ 3-2 overtime loss to Bethel-Brookfield-Danbury-Immaculate in the first round of the state playoffs. / Photo by Andy Hutchison

By Andy Hutchison

DANBURY — Staples High’s hockey team, the No 16 seed in the Division III State Tournament, went from narrowly qualifying for the competition to falling just short of upsetting the top seed in the opening round.

No. 1 Bethel-Brookfield-Danbury-Immaculate overcame a two-goal deficit, tying the Wreckers in the waning seconds of regulation play, and then prevailed 3-2 in overtime Monday at Danbury Ice Arena.

Cooper Paul scored unassisted in the first period and Tyler DeMaio, set up by Trey Wilson, made it 2-0 in the middle stanza. 

The Wreckers saw their lead cut in half in the third period when BBDI’s Zachary Kappus tipped a shot over Staples goaltender Mason Mountain’s shoulder. 

Staples held a 2-1 edge is time ticked away. With their goalie pulled for the extra attacker, the IceCats knotted the score. T.J. Miller, assisted by Jovanni Smeriglio, sent the game into OT with just 5 seconds showing on the clock.

In the extra stanza, Smeriglio, assisted by Miller, ended it.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group. It was an awesome journey, and they showed a lot of grit and resilience against the number-one team in the state,” Staples Coach Matt Bohn said afterward.

“It was an honor to coach these seniors, some of them for three or four years. Seeing everyone’s growth and development on and off the ice was special. Once a Wrecker, always a Wrecker,” he added.

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