Peter Hernandez joined elite company at Old Bridge High School.
Hernandez became the eighth ice hockey player to score 100 points for his career when he collected three points in Old Bridge’s 8-3 loss to Monroe Township High School on Feb. 7 at the Old Bridge Ice Arena.
The senior right wing recorded a goal and two assists to end the game with 101 career points. He reached the milestone 100-point mark on his second assist of the game, which Matt Kravets made good on with a goal with 8:03 remaining in the third period.
Hernandez called the achievement amazing.
“There’s no way to describe it really,” he said. “When [Kravets] scored, I looked at my teammates, and they all piled on me. It was the best feeling ever.”
Old Bridge’s all-time leader is Peter Krzewinski, who scored 168 points before graduating in 2014.
The other 100-point scorers are 2006 graduate Ryan Melis, who clicked on 162 points; 2007 graduate Nick Geraci, who finished with with 152 points; 1998 graduate and the program’s first 100-point scorer, Mike Horbal, who registered 119 points; 1999 graduate Kyle Eaton, who ended with 111 points; 2015 graduate Mike Cistone, who scored 107 points; and 2016 graduate Tyler Kogut, who Hernandez tied with 101 points.
In the milestone game, Hernandez also assisted on a goal by Chris Kennedy with 2:30 left in the second period and scored a goal himself with 7:05 remaining in the third period.
Hernandez was disappointed that Old Bridge was defeated, but he and the Knights had the opportunity to gain revenge when both teams squared off again in the first round of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament on Feb. 12 at Jersey Shore Arena in Wall.
Hernandez noted prior to the game that for the rematch, Old Bridge needed to shut down Monroe’s top line, play good defense and put the puck in the net.
His parents, Leonor Class and Peter Hernandez Senior, were thrilled with the accomplishment of reaching 100 career points.
“Mom is so proud,” Class said. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and now we made it. He made it. I can’t even find the words.”
“It’s awesome,” Hernandez’s father said. “It truly is.”
