WHAT A NIGHT FOR HOCKEY!! The word was spread around town that this was the night to come down to Beaver Dam , if you wanted to see some great Prep School hockey action. The Portledge Varsity Girls and Boys Hockey teams were taking on the Varsity teams from Morristown-Beard. Both of these schools love their ice hockey and both games were set to be battles. The crowd steadily built during the night, reaching its peak during the incredible third period of the girls game, and creating a real buzz for the start of the Varsity Boys contest. The skating was fast with beautiful playmaking all around.
What Happened in the Varsity Girls Game?
To say that this match up has become a rivalry is to not fully illustrate how hard the Portledge and Mo Beard girls go at it when they face each other on the ice. Five of the last six times they played the difference was just one goal with Morristown hoisting the Mid Atlantic Championship last February following a 2-1 victory over the Lady Panthers. This season Portledge is slightly favored to take the crown, and the Lady Panthers were determined to serve notice of their skill in this winters first meeting between the squads. Just imagine the little bit of shock that went through the Portledge team when Mo Beard took a 1-0 lead early five minutes into the first period, or when the Crimson answered the Lady Panthers early second period equalizer with goal of their own, to regain a one goal lead more than half way through the game. Going back to that first Portledge goal - what a beauty! Emily Prey slipped a slick pass from the point onto the stick of Sophomore Ashley Wade. Wade then sent a behind the back cross creas fed to winger Alyssa Parke who blasted the biscuit in to the open net. Still with time running down in the second period the Portledge girls trailed 2-1. At this point the game started to change as the lady Panthers began taking their play to another level. They continuously worked the puck around the Mo Beard zone with crisp passing and tenacious forechecking. Finally, captasin Siena Falino found an open Erin Brand cutting down from the point. The eigth grader then sent a wicked wrister past the Crimson goalie to tie the score and set the stage for what would be a very memorable third period.
Right from the drop of the puck the Lady Panthers swarmed into the Mo Beard zone, while at the same time denying the Crimson access to the Portledge zone. As the pace of play reached yet another level of speed, it became Falino time. The senior, playing her last game at home, simply took over. After getting a nice pass from Wade in the slot she fired a snap shot off of the cross bar and into the opponents net. Minutes later she wound things up in her own zone and took the puck the length of the ice around several Mo Beard players before finally beating the Crimson goalie while being dragged down to the ice. I will always remember the picture of Siena sliding on her knees to the corner, with her stick raised in joyful celebration after this amazing goal. She added another after stealing the puck in the neutral zone and going in alone on the Crimson goalie. The relentless Portledge forecheck led to one last goal by Addie Reilly as the Lady Panthers made a point with a dominating third perios and a hard fought 6-2 win. The score does not accurately reflect the up and down play, and the Portledge girls need to be ready to defend their first place position when the travel out to Morristown next Wednesday for regular season rematch.
How Was the Varsity Boys Game?
Everyone knew that the Portledge boys had a tough one ahead of them since they were playing without their starting goalie, captain Sal Magliocco. Freshman Mihael Bruschi would be making his first start in the Portledge Varsity nets and there was a bit of a nervous feeling around the rink. Well, the joke was kind of on everyone as Bruschi turned away shot after shot in the first period and gave the Panthers a real shot to establish themselves in the game. Something the boys definitely accomplished when Sophomore Tom Parisi won the race to a loose puck in the Morristown zone, snuck in front with quick move, and beat the Crimson goalie to give Portledge a 1-0 lead. Parisi is really emerging as a skilled offensive player who can score and pass equally well. He is playing with great confidence and taking on the mantel of leadership among all the young talented forwards. Despite tremendous pressure during successive power play opportunities, the Panthers could not get that critical second goal that would have given them some control over this fast paced game. Early in the second period Morristown tied the game with a beautiful shot off the rush and went on to take the lead late in the stanza when the Panthers misplayed a dump in. Tailing 2-1 going into the third the Portledge boys pressed for the equalizer, but eventually left themselves open to counter attacks by a well balanced Morristown team. Much like the girls game, but in the opposite direction, the 5-1 final did not reflect the true nature of the game. This one could have gone either way. Congratulations should go out to the Morristown goalie, who played a tremendous game.
Please check the web site and come out to support our Panther hoopsters, AS THEY PLAY MANY GAMES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
