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The Blue Wave, who won the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championship, skate against Xavier of Middletown on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Division I semifinals at Ingalls Rink at Yale University.
The second-seeded Blue Wave (22-2-1) are seeking to return to the title game, where they lost to Fairfield Prep in overtime, 2-1, in last year’s final.
Under defensive-minded coach Chris Gerwig, Darien has shown been tough to score upon all season. It has allowed just two goals in tournament wins over St. Joseph and Ridgefield.
Darien posted just two shutouts during the season but has allowed two goals or fewer in nine of its wins.
Goaltender Will Massie was named first-team all-conference, along with forward Jack Pardue. Jake Kirby, a second-team all conference selection, scored three goals in a 4-1 quarterfinal win over Ridgefield.
One of Darien’s shutouts came in a 2-0 win over New Canaan in the conference semifinals. With a berth in the league title game on the line, Massie stopped 27 shots while Kirby and Max Romeyn scored goals in one of the Blue Wave’s best games of the season.
Darien brings a 17-game winning streak into Wednesday's contest. Its last loss was a 4-1 setback to Ridgefield on Jan. 12. Its only other loss is a 3-2 decision to Notre Dame of West Haven in December.
Wednesday’s winner will meet the victor of the other semifinal between Greenwich and Glastonbury. Saturday’s title game will also be played at Ingalls Rink.
Darien’s last hockey title came in 1969, when the Blue Wave beat Hamden, 3-2. It also played for the state title in 1984, ‘85 and 87. In its four trips to the state title since 1969, Darien has lost two games in overtime and one by a goal.
Click here to visit the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference website to learn more about the game.
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