Semi-surprise of the day is that Robbie Murden, who needed his jaw wired shut just over a month ago is back in the lineup, looking for that elusive 100th career point and more importantly, a NESCAC title. He'll play Conway and ursitti, the hero of yesterday's 5-4 victory of Wesleyan.
Trinity carried the majority of the play, but Hamilton certainly had its chances, particularly in the later stages of the period. Three penalties in the course of 47 seconds led to a quick succession of five-on-four, four-on-four, four-on-three and five on-four. In one sequence, Neil Conway fired a wrister from the point with Stickel nearly poking it in before the ensuing clear was dumped down ice for a charging Mark Knowlton to be laid out by Evan Buitenhuis. Speaking of Boots, he had a much better first period, limiting rebounds he let up yesterday and stopping all 18 of Trinity's shots. Alex Morin stopped all 12 shots on the other end.
2nd Period
Well, that was crazy. Trinity carried most of the first half of the period until a pair of Cole brother penalties, one apiecce for Brandon and Ryan, broke up some of their momentum. Bennet Morrison blasted one in from just inside the blueline, which Alex Morin initially stopped but it trickled past with 2:57 left. Just 28 seconds later, Neil Cownay from below the crease found Robbie Murden at the lower right circle, who fired it in for his 100th career oal. Trinity answered back with Boots screened, less than a minute later when Liam Feeney fired it in from just inside the left blueline. Then, after a shot on the other end by Stirling Bray with 26 seconds left, Sean Orlando gobbled up the long rebound and streaked down the right wing for a shot, that Brandon Cole followed up with the rebound to tie it with 18 seconds left. Trinity led shots 34-25 after two.
3rd Period
No scoring and we are headed to OT in the finals for the first time since 2014, when Bowdoin needed double OT to win their first back-to-back title. Trinity will need the same result, though they would likely prefer it in the first extra frame, to win their second straight title.
Both teams had chances, as they always do, including Sam Johnson ripping one from in front that Boots had to save sprawled out with his glove. That was during a Trinity power play for a Rory Gagnon cross-check call. Gagnon went down akwardly earlier in the period but got back to up play, well enough to cross-check, appartenty. Late in that penalty, Sean Orlando was called for a hold in the neutral zone. Orlando and the Bantams were none too pleased with the call, nor was this fan.
And so we go to OT. Trintiy holds the shots advantage 44-34 headed into the extra frame.@hockeyinthecac worst officiating of the year!— cthockey13/14 (@cthockey1314) March 5, 2017
OT
3:09 into the extra frame, Ryan Cole on a feed from his brother, beat Boots from the odd angle to give the Bants back-to-back titles. Trinity gets the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and Hamilton is left with the waiting game until tomorrow morning to find out if they get an at-large bid.
No comments:
Post a Comment