State Champs: Chatham Shuts Out Morristown Hockey for Public B Crown

The Chatham High School boys are Public B hockey champions after defeating Morristown 3-0 Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark.

The teams were meeting for the fourth time this season, and up until Saturday, the Colonial had shut out the Cougars. Chatham found a reversal of fortune in the biggest game of the season.

In what was an excellent showing for both teams, the game was a draw through the first two periods.  Not without chances on either side, it would be Chatham that would strike first with a goal by Brett Montgomery from Travis Terzer at 5:20 of the 3rd period. 

Five minutes later it would be Brian Leonard who would score a short handed goal for the Cougars.  "I was basically on a breakaway, I saw a lone Morristown kid coming, and said 'Let me try it; if it works out, it works out,'" said Brian Leonard.  "And luckily it did, and I buried it."

"What a great game. Our guys played their hearts out and so did Morristown.  You have to give it to them, they had a fantastic season. Bobby Jones is a great coach and he has done a fantastic job with Morristown High School. They are the program they are today because of him. I am just searching for words right now.  This is pretty incredible. I am extremely proud of our guys. They bought in, they believed, and most importantly, they executed when they had to.  Congratulations to them for a fantastic job." - Chatham head coach Frank Gilberti

"The effort wasn't there for everyone. They are a very young, very talented team.  Last year I thought that hurt the most, but this year, it might be worse. Losing only three guys from last year, we thought this was the team to do it.  We might have been too cocky about it."  -Brian Begley

"It is hard to put words to it right now. I thought it was a good battle, I think Chatham beat us to loose pucks.  Shots were in Chatham's favor (28-14) and I know that Shane (Brown) stood on his head and did whatever he could do.  In the end, we beat them three times already, and it is tough to beat a team four times in a season.  Chatham had it today and got the bounces.  They played exceptionally well and I don't think we countered as well as we could have." - Morristown head coach Bobby Jones

"This means everything to me. This will easily be my best hockey memory ever." -Brian Leonard

"This is the greatest feeling in the world. We were playing well all game. We hit 3 posts.  We kept working hard.  We just knew it would work out for us.  It's awesome." - Brett Mongomery

"We knew we were playing great, but we couldn't find one that we could get into the net.  We were built for the 3rd period.  I'm speechless.  Words can't describe how happy I am right now. " - CJ Albanese