The Board of Education on Monday night honored the New Canaan High School boys ice hockey team, which last week won its first state title in 54 years.
Addressing the school board during its regular meeting, coach Clark Jones said that although the decades-long drought had “zero” relevance to him and the players, it still presented a mental challenge.
“They weren’t born, I wasn’t born,” Jones told members of the Board of Ed at their meeting, held in the Wagner Room at NCHS and via videoconference. “And so we had to get through that whole thing. And they’re so good—talented, tough, and they got through the whole mental battle. And I think that was what we had to go through and the value that New Canaan gave—and [Superintendent of Schools Dr.] Bryan [Luizzi], you’ve been such a rockstar and you and I have talked about this—if you have a town backing you, it’s so meaningful. And they felt it. And they got it done.”
Jones said he was proud to be part of the CIAC Division 1 title.
NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan, surrounded by members of the CIAC Division One champion boys ice hockey team, addresses the Board of Education on March 30, 2026. Credit: Michael Dinan
“I’m from New Hampshire—I have nothing to do with this town, I live here now, but I didn’t grow up here—and I’m so proud to be a part of it,” he said.
The comments came during a “Student Spotlight” before the school board.
Playing at Quinnipiac University, the NCHS boys defeated Fairfield Prep 3-1 on March 23 to win the title. Drew Harmon scored the winning goal with 2:02 left off assists from Rogan Lowe and Anthony DelCarmine, and Lowe added an empty-netter, according to a game summary from HNIB News. DelCarmine scored a short-handed goal to put the Rams up 1-0 early in the second period before Andrew McCoy tied it up for Fairfield Prep. The Rams’ goalie, Blake Pozatek, finished with 16 saves.
NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan introduced the team, saying the players and coaches “really appreciate all of your support and the support of the entire community.”
“One thing about New Canaan that I’ve always thought is unique is there are people who these guys don’t know, who aren’t parents, who are some of their biggest fans,” Egan said. “And I think it’s always been unique to athletics in New Canaan, and something that I’ve always thought made things special here.”
Egan reviewed the team’s history: The Rams won their first boys hockey championship in 1972. After finishing runner-up in 1974 and in 1982, it was another 13 years before the Rams reached the state final again. From 1995 to 1999, the team reached four state finals.
“The historic marathon game in New Canaan hockey lore refers to the 1999 Division One championship game against Notre Dame or Fairfield,” Egan said. “It’s widely regarded as one of the most grueling contests in Connecticut high school sports history due to the length and the fact that it had to be completed over two separate dates.”
Notre Dame of Fairifeld won that game 3-2 in five overtimes at Yale University’s Ingalls Rink—the game itself spanned 22 hours from start to finish.
“The game began on a Saturday night and remained deadlocked through regulation and three overtime periods,” Egan said. “=Due to the extreme late hour and player exhaustion, officials and coaches made the rare decision to suspend the game after the third overtime. The teams returned to the rink the following day to settle the title.”
There was controversy: n the fourth overtime period, New Canaan appeared to win when Mike Holland batted a rebounding puck into the net.
Yet “while the Rams celebrated, the referees eventually waved off the goal, ruling it was hit with a high stick,” Egan said, and Notre Dame of Fairfield Scored on a power play soon after.
“This loss was part of a heartbreaking era for New Canaan, where they reached the state final 10 times between 1972 and 2025 without winning,” Egan said, adding, “The drought was finally snapped on March 23rd, 2026 when the Rams defeated Fairfield Prep 3-1 for the first state title in 54 years,” and drawing applause from the room.
Board of Ed Chair Phil Hogan said, “Congratulations. Great run. Hopefully we’ve got a few more runs in the next couple of years— there’s a lot of talent here.”
Congratulation to the NCHS boy hockey team!!! This great for New Canaan and hockey!
With that said, I am saddened to hear the coach say he wasn’t born here, had no connection to NCHS hockey, etc. I do understand, but many of us with close connection to New Canaan still care about hockey in New Canaan.
My brothers team won the 1972 State Championship; I was there and saw it. I was 10. My brothers team was also there in 1974 when they lost. He was concussed in the first period and barely remembers the game. I was there for that too.
My oldest brother played at NCHS durning the 60’s and early 70’s. I played 4 years on the Varsity team from 1976-1980. I then went on to coach for 8 or so years, first as the Assistant Varsity Coach and then 6 years as Head Coach. Although, my tenure ended on a bit of a low note (from my perspective, I was not equipped to deal with parental pressures I had not yet fully understood) and LOVED what I did an my connection to the town and hockey.
So, it is bittersweet to see these quotes from an out of State Coach, because the history of New Canaan Hockey is rich and, to me, been largely forgotten.
Once again go RAMS!! Congrats Boys on the win!! You should be proud and proud of New Canaan Hockey, your legacy is now forever etched in New Canaan but lets remember the boys of ’72 and the New Canaan’s version of the “Miracle on Ice” when NC Hockey beat Hamden in one the greatest upsets in New Canaan sports.
Glenn Hutchinson class of 1980
Thanks Glenn. My take on the coach’s comments were that even though he’s not originally from the town/didn’t grow up with the hockey program here, he still feels embraced by the community as if he did.
Sorry if that came across as a criticism of the coach; that was not the intent. The intent was more to remember the rich tradition of New Canaan hockey. Apologies Coach if it came off that way!!
I’m not sure how anyone could read Coach Jones’s comments as anything other than positive. His point about being from out of state made perfect sense — Norman Dale was an outsider too; he came to Hickory High from New York. Congratulations to the Rams !
Hi Richard-
I did not intend, nor did I categorize his comments as not being positive. I, said, I understood, where he was coming from. With that said, I congratulated everyone and the coach for a job well done! My intention was to acknowledge the first hand accounts of that rich NCHS hockey history, that from where I sit has been largely forgotten. Absolutely zero disrespect intended towards anyone but thought a shout out to those that came before and know the history might be in order and lend some cherished context. Go Rams!
Magnificent W. Congratulations and well done, boys.