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Prep hockey heads into the postseason on a roll

Six straight wins to end the regular season couldn't have worked out any better for the St. John's Prep hockey team. Colin Prior had a pair of goals, including the game-winner with 1:46 remaining, as the Eagles finished the regular season on a roll after beating visiting Notre Dame of Connecticut yesterday, 4-2, at the Ristuccia Arena.

"To win seven of our last eight games, including six straight, with the schedule that we have says a lot about this team," said first-year head coach Kristian Hanson, whose team is expected to be chosen for the Super 8 tournament when the state tournament pairings are released this Saturday.

"This was a very good Notre Dame team; they're ranked third in the state (of Connecticut) and will compete for the state title down there."

Prior's second goal, his 10th of the year, was a thing of beauty. Racing up the left side, he had two Notre Dame defenders on his back, yet still managed to swoop towards the goal and beat goalkeeper Michael Federico for the score.

"They were draped all over him, but he wasn't going to be stopped," Hanson said of Prior. "That's the kind of goal you need from a senior at this point of the season."

Fellow senior Kyle Pettoruto stopped 25 shots to pick up his eighth win of the season. Dan Lawton and captain Christian Cowles (an empty netter) also scored for the Eagles, with Eric Danilchuk, Nick Riccio, Danny Haugh and Cowles earning assists.