One of the most highly anticipated matchups in New York State high school ice hockey took place Wednesday night. With powerhouses Pelham and Rye facing off, it looked to to be a nail-biter. But the Pelicans dominated the unbeaten Garnets to the tune of a 7-0 shutout.

Pelham advanced to 8-2-2. With defeats over Division 2’s top teams (Rye and Skaneateles), Pelham should assume the top spot in the state’s major rankings.

Pelham came out hot, finishing the first period with a 2-0 lead after goals from senior Ben Rosenberg and sophomore Will Crotty following costly Rye penalties.

The rest of the game was more of the same. The Pelicans continued to pile on goals, while Rye failed to keep possession of the puck. The downfall for the Garnets were penalties that Pelham capitalized on throughout the match.

Junior goalkeeper Jack Mallinson tallied his first varsity shutout. “It felt great,” Mallinson said. “To go out there and go 1,000 percent against our top rivals is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Rosenberg, junior Louie Marcellino and senior Henry Smith each had two goals.

It was also a special night for head coach Ed Witz, who recorded his 500th career win.

“I’m so happy for coach,” Crotty said. “We all know how much this sport and team means to him, and there’s no better way to get your 500th career win than against Rye.”

With playoffs coming, a state championship is the goal for this program. “Right now we just want to beat Suffern,” senior captain Jordan Hurd said. “But our main goal is a state championship.”

Junior defensemen Eric Elbery agreed: “The team we have put together this year is great. We’re all friends, and we all want to win together. We’re all thinking the same thing, a state championship.”

The last time Pelham brought home a state title was in 2017, when they beat St. Lawrence High School in the final.

“When I look at our team, I see winners,” Marcellino said. “We play hard. We play scrappy, and we’re honestly pretty fired up. I don’t think we’ve had this much success since that 2017 season. This is our year.”

The team looks to improve their record on Tuesday, with what should be a tough matchup against Rye Country Day.