N.Y. Semifinal: St. Lawrence Falls To John Jay Rally; Massena Falls

Bitter Defeat: Larries Fall To John Jay in semfinal 6-4

St. Lawrence’s goalie Nate McLaughlin (1) makes the diving save while the net comes loose on a shot taken by Mark Leprine (11).  (Steve Besaw photo)  Game Gallery  Game Broadcast
 

By Bob LaRue, North Country SportsNet
It was eight ugly minutes the Larries’ hockey program would like to forget. A stunning John Jay-Cross River five-goal comeback in the last 7:38 of play overtook St. Lawrence Central’s seemingly comfortable 4-1 lead and dominance for the first 37-plus minutes in the New York State Division II semifinals in Utica, NY. A combined huge momentum swing and the Larries appearing to run out of gas tilted the ice entirely toward the Indians who knocked off top-ranked St. Lawrence 6-4. The game started well for the Larries with three unanswered goals in the first period. Jarek Crump’s hard wrister from the left point put the Larries on top 1-0 with a power-play goal at 6:23. Just over a minute later, Luke Arquiett skated onto the pick and drilled a shot to the top left corner, then added another goal with 28 seconds left in the period to mount a 3-0 advantage. Kody Kocsis had three assists for the Larries. The Indians broke through with their first goal at 11:08 of the middle frame when Jack Grimm jammed home a rebound just off the left side of the crease, but the Larries quickly answered Blake Baldwin stuffed home a rebound off a Devon Euto shot just 25 seconds later to take a 4-1 lead, which lasted to the middle of the third period. Meanwhile, the ice surface at the Aud got warmer and slower, the Larries shortened their lines and it appeared they started to run down on gas. Add a penalty kill with eight minutes left and everything changed. The Indians’ leading scorer Shawn Smith tipped in a power-play goal, then just 11 seconds later, John Tobin converts a critical Larries’ turnover and the John Jay-Cross River rebirth was launched. With momentum and comeback intensity already on their side, the Indians kept flying. Luke Prestamo knocked in a rebound with 1:48 left to draw the Indians even 4-4. Grimm scored the game winner with 59 seconds to go. Smith’s empty-net goal with five seconds left sealed the win for John Jay. The Larries finished their season at 17-6-1.

S.L.C. LARRIES Win Comeback Thriller in state play 3-1

St. Lawrence Central goalie Nate McLaughlin (1) pounces on the bouncing puck, while defenseman Eric Lynch (3) seals off Webster Thomas' Matt Weisharr (24). After the Titans scored just :30 into the game, the Larries countered with goals by Blake Baldwin and Luke Peets in the second period in a 3-1 victory.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery  NCSN Broadcast

St. Lawrence Central's Joe DiMatteo (10) dives across and stick checks Webster Thomas' Nick Epping (5) from getting a goal.
 

By Bob LaRue, North Country SportsNet
The storied history of St. Lawrence Central hockey has logged another tale of overcoming misfortune and adversity, with the emergence of an unlikely pair of heroes in the 2013 New York State boys ice hockey quarterfinals. As this chapter of the story would have it, a young man’s first high school career goal and his linemate’s first assist of the season came at a important juncture. The game did not start well for the Larries. The contest opened with an unfortunate break when the puck struck an official and dealt Section V Champion Webster Thomas a golden opportunity to get the jump. With the Larries’ defense outnumbered, forward Teddy McCabe picked up the puck and slid it across to linemate Nick Tipping. The Titan forward immediately fired the shot past St. Lawrence Central goaltender Nate McLaughlin for a 1-0 lead that brought stunned silence to the hometown crowd just 30 seconds into the game. It was the lone goal of the first period in which Webster Thomas outshot St. Lawrence 13-11. After numerous opportunities for both sides in a wide-open second period, the Larries broke through with a power-play goal in the midst of a scrum at the net. Defenseman Devon Euto started the play with a two-line pass to Cody Koscis who thrust a shot from the corner that struck the goalie’s shoulder. The puck landed on the goal line and was tipped home by senior forward Blake Baldwin at 6:52. Coach Mickey Locke, who had sparingly used his third line for just three shifts, needed a break for his first two lines after a hard-working but unsuccessful power play. From the faceoff deep in Webster Thomas territory, Nick Kowalchuk won the draw and the fate of the game landed on the stick of sophomore Lucas Peets. The young Larries forward turned, drew back and fired the wrister in the general direction of Titan goaltender Steve Speis. As the netminder pulled slightly upward to handle the puck in a precarious position between the chest protector and arm, an opening emerged and the puck flew through, landed on the ice and slid into the opposite corner. With arms initially at his side, the unsuspecting Peets saw the net move. Suddenly jubilant in celebration, the sophomore ignited a roar from frenzied fans with his first career high school goal. Kowalchuk collected his first assist and the Larries had their first lead of the hockey game with 1:34 left in the middle period. For the balance of the game, St. Lawrence Central weathered heavy pressure as Webster Thomas desperately sought to register the equalizer. The Titans got their best chance with 3:14 remaining in the game after the Larries were struck with a penalty for too many men on the ice. After Webster Thomas pulled their goaltender in the final minute, a defenseman’s desperate lunge pushed the puck to center ice were Ian Lynch took two strides and buried an insurance marker squarely in the center of the open net to seal the victory with just 11 seconds remaining. For the game, Webster Thomas outshot the Larries by a slim 32-31 margin. St. Lawrence Central earned its first return to the New York State Final Four since its 2010 appearance and will face John Jay-Cross River in the state semifinal round in Utica on Saturday, March 9th, starting at noon.

MASSENA'S STUNNING RALLY: WINS DIVISION I TITLE IN O.T.

The Massena Red Raiders celebrate the Section X Division I hockey championship after a stunning 3-2 come-from-behind overtime win over Potsdam. The Raiders tallied a hotly-contested goal with just 23.5 seconds left in regulation. Patrick Manning buried the game winner just 53 seconds into OT for the win.  (Waters photo)  Game Gallery  NCSN Broadcast

Massena’s Evan Kassian (14) races the puck up the ice against a Potsdam defender.  (Camron Waters photo)
 

By Bob LaRue, North Country SportsNet
In one of the most miraculous finishes to a Section X hockey championship, the Massena Red Raiders scrambled from a 2-1 deficit with a hotly-contested goal in the final 23.5 seconds of the third period, then got the game winner less than a minute into overtime to stun the Potsdam Sandstoners 3-2 in the section’s Division I title game.  Massena got on the scoreboard first when Dylan Stone buried the rebound off a shot from Patrick Manning on a power play at 4:13.  Potsdam answered with a goal from Robbie Scott, assited by Trevor Keleher to tie the game 1-1 just 43 seconds into the second period.  Potsdam took the lead midway through the third period when Scott lit the lamp.  Keleher and Josh Locey assisted.  Massena intensified its efforts in the final seven minutes and with time ticking down, Grayson Phillips’ shot just trickled over the goal line with 23.5 seconds remaining to force the game into overtime.  Potsdam Coach Al Benda hotly contested the action in the crease, but referee Ron Jacobs had been positioned directly behind the net and vehemently signaled the goal. NCSN was told it later appeared that after the initial save on the line, it appeared goalie’s momentum or movement had caused his glove hand to slide over the line.  With Massena’s intensity already ramped up to get the equalizer, the Raiders took the game to the Sandstoners again and Manning ended the contest just 53 seconds into overtime by flipping home the game winner.  Massena advances to host the Section IX Champion Monroe-Woodbury in the New York State quarterfinals next weekend.  Potsdam ended its season at 15-7 overall.

POTSDAM OUTLASTS SALMON RIVER 2-1 IN SEMIFINALS

Salmon River goalie Cory Garrow keeps the puck and Potsdam attacker Logan Ford (8) out of the net during Saturday's Section Division I boys hockey semifinal. Trevor Keleher rang up two goals in the first 4:31 of the second period, but Potsdam had to fend off a late Salmon River flurry in a 2-1 semifinal victory.  (Casey Stephens photo)  Game Gallery  NCSN Broadcast

Salmon River’s Nathan Smoke (19) takes the puck along the boards to start a rush against Potsdam's Chad Varney (22).

ST. LAWRENCE LARRIES DOWN N-N ICEMEN FOR D-2 TITLE

The St. Lawrence Central Larries broke a 1-1 tie with two pivotal goals in the final minute of the second period, then posted three unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Norwood-Norfolk Icemen 6-1 in the Section X Division II hockey championship. Ian Lynch netted a hat trick to lead the Larries.
(Camron Waters photo)  Game Gallery  NCSN Broadcast

St. Lawrence Central’s Blake Baldwin (13) stick checks Norwood-Norfolk’s Austin Cousineau (9) as he crosses the blue line. The Larries broke away from a 1-1 tie with 5 unanswered goals in winning the Section X Division II hockey championship.
 

By Bob LaRue, North Country SportsNet
The St. Lawrence Central Larries scored two goals just 47 seconds apart, including the second score with just one-tenth of a second left in the second period, all but dashing the hopes of a Division II championship for the Norwood-Norfolk Icemen in the Section X Division II Championship. Division II regular-season scoring champion Lukas Arquiett drilled both goals in a flash finish to the middle period that jump-started the top-seeded Larries who were outplayed by the Icemen for the better part of the first two periods. The Icemen took some issue on the go-ahead score that goalie Brandon Richards had been interfered with in the crease. Arquiett’s subsequent goal from right faceoff circle with one-tenth second left appeared to be the back-breaker for the Icemen. In the third period, Nate Stickney’s power-play goal sealed the deal and Ian Lynch’s two goals to complete a hat trick in the 6-1 win. Goalie Nate McLaughlin handled 20 saves. The Larries will host Section V champion Webster Thomas in the New York State Division II quarterfinals. Norwood-Norfolk closed its season at 12-9-2 overall.

S.L.C. Larries Turns Back Malone 5-2 in Semifinal

St. Lawrence Central defenseman Jarek Crump sprawls out with his stuck in front of Larries' goalie Nate McLaughlin to deflect the puck off the stick of Malone attacker Trevor Cooley. St. Lawrence Central scored three times in the third period to break away for a 5-2 win over Malone in the Section X Division II semifinal.  (Besaw photo)  Game Gallery  NCSN Broadcast

St. Lawrence Central's Devon Euto (7) brings the puck from behind the net, looking for a pass or wraparound against Malone goalie Joey Brown.  Ian Lynch had a hat trick, while Luke Arquiett added two goals and an assist as the Larries beat the Malone Huskies 5-2 in the Section X Division II semifinals.
 

By Bob LaRue, North CountrySportsNet
The Malone Huskies challenged top-seeded St. Lawrence Central for two full periods, leaving the second period down just 2-1. But the high-scoring tandem line of Luke Arquiett, Kody Koscis, Ian Lynch and Blake Baldwin took over in the third period and drew the curtain over the Huskies’ improved season with a 5-2 win in the Section X Division II playoffs at Tritown Arena. After a scoreless first period, Malone jumped on the scoreboard first when Kyler Head jammed home a rebound, assisted by Trevor Cooley. However, the Larries’ high scoring offensive line would not be denied much longer. Nate Stickney scored and Ian Lynch roofed a wide just three minutes apart to put the Larries in front to stay. Blake Baldwin assisted on both goals. With just seconds remaining in the second period, St. Lawrence appeared to have netted a faceoff goal, but it was waived off when one of the officials blew the play dead after losing sight of the puck. The Larries tacked on two goals early in the third period when Arquiett scored from Baldwin, then Koscis lit the lamp from Lynch and Arquiett for a 4-1 lead. Malone’s Tanner Studlack made it 4-2 on a partial break, then Ian Lynch closed out the scoring from Arquiett. Goaltender Joe Brown kept the Huskies in the game with 39 saves. Nate McLaughlin handled 21 saves for the Larries.

Brown, Cousineau Lead Icemen Past Tupper Lake 7-4

Norwood-Norfolk’s Zeb Brown (10) snipes a shot toward net and hits the mesh past Tupper Lake goalie Marcus Richer (35). The Icemen beat the Lumberjacks 7-4 in the Section X Division II quarterfinals.  (Cody Jenne photo)  Game Gallery  

Tupper Lake forward Boyce Guerette (9) gets tripped up by Norwood-Norfolk defender Brandon Short (4), but still rips a shot and scores on Icemen goalie Brandon Richards (33).
 

By Bob LaRue, North CountrySportsNet
Norwood-Norfolk’s Zeb Brown and Austin Cousineau racked up two goals and three assists each in powering the third-seeded Icemen to a 7-4 win over the #6-seed Lumberjacks in the Section X Division II quarterfinals. The win earned the Icemen the right to face the Ogdensburg Blue Devils in the semifinal round at the Golden Dome on February 20th. Troy Kovach added a pair of goals as the Icemen outshot Tupper Lake 59-10. Tupper goalie Marcus Richer handled 52 shots in tying to keep the Jacks in the contest. Norwood-Norfolk led 3-2 after the first period, but buried outscored Tupper Lake 3-0 in a decisive middle period. Hudson Sparks provided the scoring spark with two goals early for the Jacks. Tyler Clark also provided a goal and an assist. The Lumberjacks finished the 2012-13 season at 1-18-1 overall.