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03/21/2023 07:08 AMWe all have long-term goals we hope to achieve, some of them being greater than others. North Haven senior Tommy Guidone has had a big achievement in mind over his last four years in a Nighthawks boys’ ice hockey uniform: to reach 100 career points. Tommy did just that in his final season on the ice this winter while playing with a squad that’s had a very dominant campaign.
On March 3, the senior right-winger played in the Southern Connecticut Conference Championship game. Tommy and the North Haven boys’ ice hockey team played against the Watertown-Pomperaug co-op team, winning 6-1 and going on to win the conference title. It was in that contest that Tommy, who assisted on a goal scored by Alex Petersen, reached the 100 career point milestone. Realizing he finally accomplished something he had been waiting four years for was a great mark to add to what was an impressive career resume.
“Because I was in the championship game, I was more worried about getting the next goal so we would win the championship. That was just a second thought; it was great to get it, though,” says Tommy. “It has been a goal of mine since I was a freshman to get to 100, and I got it this year.”
Throughout the winter, Tommy really honed in on his goals to help get to the magic number of 100.
“At a point in the season, I knew I had to score a lot to get what I needed. Coach and I had a conversation about it, and I was not only worried about scoring but also for the team,” says Tommy. “Coach told me to not worry about it, and it eventually happened.”
Tommy not only scored his 100th career point in the SCC Championship game but he was also named to the All-SCC Second Team.
Tommy has been playing on the varsity team at North Haven since he was a freshman, after a childhood that found him on the ice constantly.
“I have been playing for about 15 years. My older cousin played hockey, and I used to go to every single one of his games,” says Tommy. “I play hockey year-round, and I played on Donahue Hockey Skills, Dragon Club, and the Connecticut Chiefs.”
Tommy also plays with his younger brother Mark, who is a freshman this year.
Nighthawks Head Coach Chris Avena has had the pleasure of watching Tommy grow throughout his high school career and knows how special this type of milestone is for him.
“I’m certainly proud, very happy for him, and I think relieved as well. I think that it has been something that he has been striving for all year,” says Avena. “To have him reach that milestone, to submit his legacy, was something that was great to be a part of. Certainly, in a big situation, being in a championship game, was icing on the cake for him.”
Tommy recorded 16 goals and 40 assists for 56 total points in 24 games this season after totaling 36 points last winter.
Not only has Tommy showed out on the ice, but he also served as a tremendous leader for his team although he his not a captain.
“Most of the things that I do are with my line, Alex Petersen and Will Sullivan. We just work really well together, and we love scoring goals together; there is nothing better than it,” says Tommy. “Without them, I would not have gotten there. They are the reason; you do not get points alone; you get them with people. Those two guys alone have been a huge help to me. As much as it was my goal, it was a team goal; we all did something to get there.”
Speaking to his abilities as a senior leader this season, Avena sees Tommy as a knowledgeable leader who is constantly pushing the team to grow and improve.
“He leads the team by his insight; he is always pushing the envelope as far as what we are doing. He is very in tune to what he thinks we think we can be doing to advance ourselves,” says Avena. “He certainly leads by his play, as he is one of our leading scorers. He goes out there and leads by example, works hard in practice, and is vocal in the locker room as well.”
Tommy was getting regular shifts on the ice as a freshman and has constantly progressed to be the team leader that he is. He has also been on one of the top lines over the last two years for the Nighthawks.
North Haven played in the Division II State Championship game last year against Wethersfield but fell short by a score of 3-0. Tommy alludes to that game as a reason to keep moving forward and take it home this season.
“We lost in the championship and that is all we thought about, is getting back there. All of the juniors last year (now seniors) were all talking about it,” says Tommy. “Once we lost, we were all telling each other how we were going to be back. We all remember saying it March 20, after the championship, we’ll be back, and now we are back.”
Tommy credits his teammates for much of his success over the last four years, and he feels a true sense of community with them on and off the ice.
“We are a really tight-knit group, always doing stuff together. We are all brothers and love being together, and during the season, we are constantly together.”
After Tommy graduates this year, he plans to play on a junior hockey team for a year to continue to grow his skills. After that, he hopes to play on a collegiate team.