After an amazing season the 2021-2022 Wayne Knights hockey team has come to an unfortunate end. The boys from Wayne Hills and Wayne Valley lost in the state semifinals round to Gov Livingston, who would end up winning the entire state tournament. With the exception of this, the Knights had an amazing season. Their amazing chemistry and persistence allowed them to win the Passaic County Tournament final and end with a winning record of 14-9-3.

All players on the knights contributed to the overall success of the team, but a few forwards stood out more than others. Senior Luke Hulbert was able to rack up 23 goals and 37 assists this season for a total of 60 points, adding up to a total of 115 over his 4 years of playing for the knights. Surpassing 100 points is no easy feat as only three players in Wayne Hills history have done so. Luke said, “Watching that puck cross the goal line for my 100th point was such an accomplishment and a special moment to celebrate with my team, family, and coaches. It was definitely a very proud moment for myself.” 

Other great players were junior Josh Shpungin who was able to secure 15 goals and 34 assists for a season total of 49 points, and sophomore Michael Brogna with 30 goals and 17 assists for a total of 47 points.

As for the defenders, the players who stood out were senior captains Ben Friedman and Josh Flom. These players took control of their half of the rink and made some big hits. Ben Friedman said “There’s nothing like getting a huge hit in front of the student section, the energy is unmatched.”

Goalies are the last resort when it comes to defense and Kareem Rifai the junior goalie was great t0 rely on. He had 514 total saves with a save percentage of 0.877%.

Overall the knights had a great season, winning the Passaic County Tournament was the highlight for most players and they hope to do it again next year.