Thefollowing article was submitted by David Conklin head coach of the Livingston High School ice hockey team, and assistant coach Zachary Dorfman.
•••• Despite facing an array of some of the state’s top teams, the Livingston High School boys’ ice hockey team has earned an 11-2-2 record.
This is the same team that finished the 2023-24 season with a 10-13 record, and graduated only three seniors. While readers may be surprised that a team composed of roughly the same players can make such an astounding turnaround, those close to the team are anything but surprised.
Led by captains Dylan Gibbs (6--10-16), Egor Tarasyuk (4-7-11), and assistant captain Mitchell Friedman, the message in the locker room has been consistent: it takes everyone. Through their 15 games, they have received scoring from 15 different players. Their leading goal scorers, seniors Anthony Cassese (7-5-12) and Nikita Gorshkov (7-2-9), have propelled the Lancers to a dominant 7-1-1 record in their conference. With all but one of those wins coming at the hands of a multi-goal lead, it is evident that the Lancers speed and constant pressure have overwhelmed teams thus far.
“Relentless” is a word that is often used to describe this team, and in no game was this more evident than in its 3 -2 overtime win against Westfield on December 27. Westfield, ranked sixth in the state, held a 2-0 lead going into the third period. Matthew Zocks (3-7-10) opened the scoring by using his speed to evade a defender and bury the puck over the goalie’s pad. Late in the period, defenseman Daniel Furman (4-8-12) used his size and speed to bury a rebound to tie the game. The Lancers would then receive heroics from Jayden Rogers (2-4-6) in overtime to seal the victory.
The Lancers made a splash during the Ice Vault Classic, in which they went 2-1 against some of the state’s top teams. They defeated Ramapo (ranked 14th at the time) and St. Joseph’s Metuchen (ranked 16th) in games that featured a fast pace and physicality. Rhys Bernstein (3-912), Nikita Gorshkov (7-2-9), and Ben Diamond (2-4-6) can often be found battling their opponents’ top players to create opportunities for the Lancers. The Ice Vault Classic was capped off by a close game against Pope John XXIII (ranked ninth), where one thing became very clear: this Livingston team can compete against anyone.
Led by captain Egor Tarasyuk (47-11) and assistant captain Mitchell Friedman (2-4-6), the defensive core of the Livingston Lancers has given up an average of only 18 shots on goal per game this season. If teams do manage to get a scoring chance, they have to conquer the daunting task of scoring onjunior goalie Brody Teitelbaum, who has managed a .93 6 save percentage, with four shut-outs so far this season.

The Livingston High School varsity ice hockey team played the Ridge Red Devils to a 3-3 tie on Monday, January 20. Nikita Gorshkov led the Lancer scoring with two goals. The Livingston record stands at 11-2-2. Don Schwartz