10/25 Recap: Rapid FIre (Minor)

The PIHA Minor League season returned to Long Island as five of the seven Metropolitan Division teams took the floor for Part One of a back-to-back festival weekend at Rapid Fire Arena in Moriches, New York.
The event delivered a full day of tight, competitive games — with two matchups decided in overtime or a shootout.

It was also a day of milestones: Mach 1 Moustache surged to the top of the standings with a strong showing, while Empire State Legends Black, who went undefeated through all of last season and their 4-0 start this year, suffered their first losses in 34 games.

Recap Overview

The Mach 1 Moustache stole the show, finishing 3-1-0, earning an overtime win over Empire Black and an emphatic close-out victory over Empire Gold.
The Empire State Legends Silver matched that mark at 3-1-0, highlighted by a thrilling shootout victory over Suffolk and a dominant showing against Gold.
The Suffolk Sting wrapped the day at 2-1-1, with quality wins over Mach 1 and Empire Black and a narrow shootout defeat to Silver.
Empire State Legends Black, the defending division champions, endured their first setbacks in more than a calendar year but still finished 2-2-0 with commanding wins over Empire Gold and Silver.
Meanwhile, Empire State Legends Gold battled hard in all four contests but came up short, finishing 0-4-0 against a stacked field.

Individual Game Recaps

11:00 AM – Suffolk Sting 3, Mach 1 Moustache 2
Suffolk opened the day with a disciplined win over Mach 1. Colin Hite scored twice, while Jake Strong buried the eventual game-winner early in the second period. Mach 1’s Greg Cartwright and Tom Cartwright scored late, but Dylan Krpata’s 19 saves sealed the Sting’s opening victory.

11:40 AM – Empire State Legends Black 3, Empire State Legends Gold 2
The defending champions picked up where they left off with a narrow win over their sister squad. Anthony Cicchetti’s third-period goal was the difference, supported by tallies from Justin Moi and Drew Alaggio. Gold’s James Brophy and Mike Miller each scored in a strong effort that came up just short.

12:20 PM – Mach 1 Moustache 4, Empire State Legends Silver 2
After an early loss, Mach 1 responded with four unanswered goals in the second period. Tyler Rifice, Greg Cartwright, and Dan Diiorio powered the comeback. Silver had struck twice early through Shane Reilly and Chris St. Clair, but Mach 1’s pressure and defensive structure flipped the game.

1:00 PM – Suffolk Sting 4, Empire State Legends Black 1
Suffolk made history by ending Empire Black’s 34-game unbeaten streak. Josh Roland and Nick Tartaglia each recorded a goal and assist, while Tye Koslow scored the insurance marker. Empire’s lone goal came from Anthony Cicchetti, but the Sting’s team speed was the difference from start to finish.

1:40 PM – Empire State Legends Silver 7, Empire State Legends Gold 3
Silver’s best offensive showing of the day featured multi-point games from Connor Bowden, Dylan Marszalek, and Jimmy Cuccias. Gold’s Sean Watson and Nick Stahlman had strong games despite the loss, but Silver’s puck movement overwhelmed them in the second half.

2:20 PM – Mach 1 Moustache 3 (OT), Empire State Legends Black 2
Another stunner saw Tyler Rifice end the game 1:42 into overtime to lift Mach 1 past Empire Black. Tom Palermo and Dan Diiorio also scored for the Mustache. Empire Black got goals from Justin Moi and Drew Alaggio, but Mach 1’s structure and timely scoring proved enough to hand Empire their second loss of the day.

3:00 PM – Empire State Legends Silver 5 (SO), Suffolk Sting 4
In one of the day’s most exciting games, Silver erased a 3-1 deficit behind goals from Connor Bowden, Shane Reilly, and Charlie Murray. After a scoreless overtime, James Vneron sealed the victory in the shootout for Silver. Suffolk’s Colin Hite and Josh Roland again powered the attack.

3:40 PM – Mach 1 Moustache 5, Empire State Legends Gold 1
Mach 1 closed their day with authority, scoring five times while controlling possession. Tom Palermo scored twice, while Matt Metz and Bryan Lees contributed key goals. Gold’s Liam McDonald tallied their lone marker as Tom Sharkey made 19 saves for Mach 1.

4:20 PM – Empire State Legends Black 7, Empire State Legends Silver 2
Empire Black rebounded with a dominant performance in their final game. Anthony Cicchetti, Nick Walker, and Drew Alaggio combined for six goals, reasserting the team’s offensive depth. Silver’s Sean Hart scored both of their goals, but Empire’s defense suffocated opportunities down the stretch.

5:00 PM – Suffolk Sting 7, Empire State Legends Gold 3
The festival finale featured another high-scoring outing from Suffolk. Brett Nicholson (2 G, 2 A) and Josh Roland (1 G, 3 A) led the offense as the Sting cruised to their second win. Nick Stahlman netted two for Gold, who continued to battle despite the tough schedule.

Team Recaps

Mach 1 Moustache (3-1-0)
After dropping the opener, Mach 1 found their rhythm and never looked back. Tyler Rifice was the heartbeat of the offense, while Tom Palermo and Greg Cartwright added steady scoring. The team’s ability to win close games — including the OT triumph over Empire Black — underscored their veteran poise.

Empire State Legends Silver (3-1-0)
Silver’s mix of youth and structure produced one of the event’s best records. Their shootout win over Suffolk highlighted their resilience, and they spread the scoring evenly across all four games. Connor Bowden and Shane Reilly were difference-makers at both ends.

Suffolk Sting (2-1-1)
Suffolk displayed elite balance and depth, defeating both Mach 1 and Empire Black while losing only once in regulation. Colin Hite and Josh Roland were offensive catalysts, and Dylan Krpata provided consistent goaltending through a busy slate.

Empire State Legends Black (2-2-0)
The defending champions faced their first adversity in years. Despite consecutive mid-day losses snapping their 34-game streak, they bounced back with a statement win over Silver. Anthony Cicchetti and Nick Walker remain among the league’s premier scoring threats.

Empire State Legends Gold (0-4-0)
Gold competed hard in all four games but couldn’t convert strong first halves into wins. Nick Stahlman and James Brophy led the way offensively, while Marcus Conti absorbed heavy shot totals in goal. The pieces are in place for improvement in the next festival.

Individual Event Stars

1st Star – Tyler Rifice (Mach 1 Moustache)
The spark plug behind Mach 1’s surge, Rifice scored in every win and netted the overtime winner vs. Empire Black.

2nd Star – Connor Bowden (Empire State Legends Silver)
Silver’s most consistent forward, Bowden tallied multiple goals and key assists while playing major minutes in all situations.

3rd Star – Colin Hite (Suffolk Sting)
Hite’s offensive touch powered Suffolk in their big wins, and his two-way play was a major reason the Sting went unbeaten in regulation through three of four games.

Honorable Mentions:

• Anthony Cicchetti (Empire Black) – 4 G, 2 A

• Tom Palermo (Mach 1) – 4 G, 3 A

• Josh Roland (Suffolk) – 2 G, 4 A

• Shane Reilly (Empire Silver) – 3 G, 2 A

What’s Ahead

Across the PIHA map, attention turns toward the Semi-Pro Northeast cross-division clash between the Metropolitan and Mid-Atlantic Divisions, set for Saturday, November 8 at Marple Sports Arena — where both regions will look to stake their claim as the league’s strongest conference.