Written by Isa Pierry

On the evening of Friday the 17, the RCDS hockey rink roared to life when the Rye Country Day Wildcats beat the Rye High Garnets on a thrilling overtime goal. Although it is unclear if Paul Heintz ‘27 or Jacob Tucznio ‘27, off an assist from Lachlan Bommer ‘25, slotted the puck into the back of the net, it is undeniable that it was an electric 6-5 win for the ’Cats. The highly anticipated hockey game drew large crowds from both schools. The RCDS students, decked out in white and blue, patiently held their breaths as they watched the team go into overtime, an eerie reminder of last year’s game.

During the winter season of last year, Rye Country Day and Rye High had a similar game as the one played on Friday. The Wildcats were in the lead but were unable to keep it as the Garnets quickly caught up and forced the game into overtime. Unfortunately, RCDS lost the game in the last second of those extra five minutes.

This year, there was no mistake RCDS was set to even the score out with their notorious rivals. Captain Aedan Pearl ‘25 highlighted that two players proved to be essential for this rematch. Pearl said that Tucznio “was already good in the past, but really elevated his game this time,” and Bommer was “instrumental” in pulling the game together. 

The game began quickly when Richie Morrow ‘26 scored the first goal five minutes into the game. Less than a minute later, Alex Thompson ‘28 scored, making the score 2-0. Thirty seconds later, Tuczino amped the score to 3-0 for the Wildcats, making it an exciting first period for the Wildcats. While the Wildcats showed immense offensive prowess, captain and goalie Ari Israel ‘25 made essential saves, showing the defensive strength of the Wildcats as well. With five minutes left in the first period, Israel made four saves in a row, securing a shutout in the first period.

Led by Coach Forzaglia and Coach Striar, the Boys’ Varsity Hockey team prepared for this game like every other. Israel shared how “we met in the locker room and shared three things we wanted to focus on that game. Then we played a game of sewer ball before beginning a quick, dynamic warm-up.” However, Israel noted players felt a little more focused and energetic than usual, suggesting how “everyone really felt the weight of the moment, playing in a huge game with a huge crowd, and in the biggest game of all of our lives.” 

That energy was evident on the ice as the Wildcats quickly established a 3-0 lead. Israel noted, “The best way to put it is the boys were absolutely buzzing to start out this game.” In the second period, Bommer added to the lead, but Rye High retaliated with three goals in the next 13 minutes, narrowing the Wildcats’ lead to 4-3.

In the third period, Heintz scored, giving the Wildcats a 5-3 advantage. With just a minute and a half remaining, the game seemed secure. However, Rye High responded with a quick play and back-to-back goals, tying the game at 5-5. Reflecting on the game, Israel attributed the late-game lapse to the Wildcats possibly overexerting themselves early on: “We might have come out so hard that we burned ourselves out.” The Wildcats aim to learn from this experience for future matchups against deeper rosters like Rye High’s.

The Wildcats carried that lesson into overtime, determined to end the game on their terms. During the five-minute period, they executed quick plays and strong offensive maneuvers, knowing a single goal would decide the outcome. Israel, still in the net, made a crucial save during a fast break by one of the Garnets. With just one minute remaining, the Wildcats scored the game-winning goal, sealing the long-anticipated victory. Bommer stood out with an impressive performance, leading the teams’ statistics with one goal and three assists.

Looking ahead, the hockey team hopes to capitalize on this victory, using it as a motivator as they head into their next games. Pearl reflected, “It’s obviously nice to win that cross-town rivalry game amid our regular season, especially in front of the whole school, but for us, this is just a stepping stone. Our eyes are definitely set on going back to back in the championship.” The boys’ hockey team’s current record is an impressive 7-1 and they are not looking to slow down in the games to come.