There was a team picture after the game Sunday, and the mood was as festive as the Newburgh’s results against Monroe-Woodbury were sobering. The Goldbacks hockey team had just lost the Section 9, Division I championship 9-0 – and they were outscored 30-0 this season by the Crusaders during three meetings.

“We did the best we could, holding on,” said Dave Doulin, Newburgh’s coach.

“We made a couple of mistakes, and every time you make a mistake, it ends up being a goal.”

Monroe’s Jason Stephanik scored the first goal with 30 seconds left in the first before Chris Murphy, Brad Campagna, and Ron Cote added three more in the second period.

Chris Neto, Newburgh’s goalie, had 53 saves through two periods and then gave up two more goals in the third period before leaving the game with seven minutes left in the third period, ending the game with 59 saves on 65 shots on goal. Mike Cinnante took over in the net for Newburgh and gave up three more goals to end the night.

Doulin started the season, which ended 4-16 after going 3-21 last year, committed to better conditioning, and it helped somewhat.

“It helped against teams where we were competitive,” he said. “Teams like Monroe, they cut more kids from their team than we do to tryout. It’s a whole different type of game.”

For all of Newburgh’s offensive futility, Neto spent three years in the net as the starting goalie during five varsity seasons, and he gained more than one ovation for the staggering number of saves game in, game out.

He’s headed to Hudson Valley Community College next fall and wants to play hockey there. But it was very hard to tell, seeing him smile, that he endured another brutal loss during his final game as a Goldback.

“I don’t want it to end. It’s too much fun,” he said.

Next season, Joe Beditti will take over as goalie, and Nick Carey will be a leader on the ice. Doulin does not expect too many new players coming up, and he’ll do the best he can with who he can put on the ice.

“We’re going to be really young,” he said.

By Bond Brungard
sports@tcnewspapers.com