The Wilton and Ridgefield girls hockey teams battled it out to the very end in Saturday night's regular-season finale, in a game to decide the third seed for the upcoming FCIAC playoffs.
In the end, it was the Tigers who prevailed and earned the third seed — and an FCIAC semifinal game against second-seed New Canaan next Wednesday — with a 3-2 victory over Wilton at the Winter Garden in Ridgefield.
The Warriors, who dropped to 9-9-1 overall and 7-6-1 in the FCIAC, will be the fourth seed and play top-seeded Darien in the conference semifinals on Wednesday. Ridgefield improved to 10-8-1 overall and 9-4 in the FCIAC.
The Warriors were under pressure most of the night, with the Tigers holding a six-to-one edge in shots throughout the game.
Nicole Lue put Wilton up midway through the first period with wrist shot from the circle, but Ridgefield answered with a goal by Maeve Reilly to tie it up 1-1 after one period.
The Tigers went up 2-1 early in the second period when Meredith Keenan took the puck end to end and scored with a high backhand shot. Erica Ely scored in front off a pass from Katie Curnan to make it 3-1 with eight minutes left in the second period. Ridgefield had plenty of chances to add to the lead the rest of the period, but Wilton goalie Brooke Jonsson was rock-solid.
Through two periods, the Tigers had a 34-6 edge in shots on goal.
Jonsson continued to turn away the Tigers with several more saves in the third period, before Meghan Keating scored on a shot from the circle with 7:16 left in the third period to bring the Warriors to within a goal, 3-2.
Wilton pulled its goalie with under 40 seconds left for the extra skater, and had a couple of great chances to score, but could not put the puck in the net.