Darien Boys Ice Hockey Champions of the FCIAC

Braden Schenck, Writer|March 7, 2023

The Darien Varsity Boys Ice Hockey team celebrating with the FCIAC trophy inside the Danbury Ice Arena

For the first time in eight years, the Darien High School Varsity Boys Ice Hockey team hoisted the FCIAC trophy at the Danbury Ice Arena.

A 3-0 victory over the 2nd-seeded Fairfield co-op Mustangs was the path that Darien took to this crown.

Darien’s Elliott Lancaster grabbing possession of the puck in a regular season game against the New Canaan Rams. (Katharine Calderwood)

The Wave got rolling early in the first period when sophomore Aidan Elders applied the pressure and netted one behind Mustang netminder Connor Zavory for the first score of the game. Elders used the momentum of the arriving student section and tallied the score before the first intermission.

Darien would add another late in the second period as junior Elliott Lancaster finished the effort in the crease taking a third shot on Zavory and sending the puck to the back of the net. The Wave went up 2-0 as they entered the 2nd intermission, and Mac Budd’s guys were just 15 minutes away from an FCIAC title.

Entering the third period the Mustangs were on a mission, Fairfield took shot after shot on Hegarty, but the junior first-year starter prevailed making 28 saves on the night. Hegarty made acrobatic saves one after another and turned away the Mustangs time after time again.

Darien senior captain Bobby Whittaker entering the zone with the puck at the Darien Ice House. (Katharine Calderwood)

With just three minutes to play in the game, Darien was looking to put the game away. Senior captain Bobby Whittaker went on the rush and found himself on a one-on-one with Zavory. Whittaker faked right and faked out Zavory so that when he went to the left Whittaker had the wide-open goal to just guide the puck in the net for the dagger goal.

When the final buzzer rang the Darien Blue Wave stormed their net and started the pile as they were the new kings of the FCIAC. It took eight years but finally, Darien ended the drought and returned to the promise land.

1978, 1981, 1983, 1987, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2015, and now 2023 the Darien Blue Wave Boys Ice Hockey team celebrated as FCIAC champions.

“In 2020, we lost this game, then COVID happened, so we didn’t get a chance at states. Now, coming back to the FCIAC championship, being able to put it away and put a number on the banner, it means the world to us.” said Darien junior forward Elliott Lancaster after his goal and assist performance.

While the offense shined it was the goalie abilities of Hegarty that stole the show. Making 28 of 28 saves, and pitching a shutout in his first career FCIAC Championship is quite the accomplishment, so much so that Hegarty was awarded the FCIAC championship game MVP.

A storybook ending to the FCIAC season ending in the pile, and while the team will celebrate this one, Darien returns to work on Wednesday the 8th taking on West Haven in the first round of the state tournament at the Darien Ice House.