SPS 1 - Tabor Academy 2 

Thursday, December 18
Jennings-Fairchild Arena—John T. Gardner Rink
Avon Old Farms Christmas Classic
Avon, Connecticut

In game one of the Avon Old Farm Christmas Classic, the "Big Red" lost to the Tabor Academy "Seawolves" by a score of two-to-one in an incredibly close checking hockey game. The storyline for today's game was that Tabor Academy enjoyed the better of the territorial play during the first half, and St. Paul's School held the advantage in the second half of the game. Games at the Avon Old Farms Christmas Classic are played with two twenty-five-minute halves.  The "Seawolves" scored the first goal of the game with three minutes, and eight seconds left in the first half. St. Paul's School responded with a goal two minutes into the start of the second half when Callum Green '27 made a nice check in the offensive zone to cause a turnover above the right face-off circle. Jaden Ficek '26 picked up the loose puck, attacked the slot, and made a nice pass to Mitchell Smith '27, who one-timed the puck into the upper corner of the net to tie the game at one. The game remained tied at one goal apiece for the next twenty-one minutes and twelve seconds when Tabor Academy converted on a two-on-one in front of the "Big Red" net to take the lead and fend off the St. Paul's School skaters for the seventy-two seconds of play.

Assistant captain, Blake Truchon '26, played well in net, stopping twenty-three of twenty-five Tabor Academy shots.

The "Big Red" resumes tournament play Friday, December 19th, at 11:00, against the host team, the Avon Old Farms School "Winged Beavers".