NU opens PrimeLink with shootout victory
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Alden Pellett/Associated Press |
Toolbox
By Carleton Laird Rutland Herald - Published: November 29, 2008
MIDDLEBURY — The first game of the 2008 PrimeLink Great Northern Shootout might officially go into the books as a tie, but the Norwich Cadets got what they needed out of it. They beat Plattsburgh State in a shootout to advance to tonight's championship game.
The Cardinals rallied with two third-period goals to send the game into overtime knotted at 3-3 and, after another five scoreless minutes, the contest went to a five-player shootout. The first three Cadets scored while Norwich goalie Ryan Klingensmith turned aside all three Plattsburgh attempts to end the game at that point.
"Considering this is our third game and this is their eighth – not to use that as an excuse but it does mean something – with the inexperience we have, I think the kids played with a lot of character," Norwich coach Mike McShane said. "We played against a very, very good team. Plattsburgh is as good as any team we're going to see all year. If we can get a little bit better and improve a little bit more, we can stay with (the good teams)."
Norwich had chances to put the game away, leading 2-0 and then getting a goal late in the second to take a 3-1 advantage to the final 20 minutes. But too many penalties finally cost the Cadets and Plattsburgh scored on power plays No. 7 and 8 to tie the game with just under three minutes to go in regulation.
Nick DelGallo went first in the shootout for the Cadets. He moved left and then came back to the middle, nearly losing the puck on the rough ice. He reached back, gathered in it and slipped it inside the left post. The little bobble appeared to catch goalie Bryan Hince (21 saves) by surprise.
"I told them not to over-handle the puck because the ice was bad," McShane said.
Klingensmith made a great diving save to deny Joey Wilson on the right post and then Fimiani beat Hince in the top right corner. Klingensmith forced Andrew Willock to his left and deflected the Cardinal bid off the post.
Chad Anderson ripped the next Norwich try into the top right corner and then Phil Farrow shot the puck into Klingensmith's pads to end it.
It was the end of a solid night for the junior netminder, who finished with 26 saves.
"You just try to battle, not give up on any pucks and just stay focused," Klingensmith said.
The Cadets jumped on top at 14:58 of the first on their first power play. Shawn Baker's drive from the blue line whistled wide left and off the back dasher. DelGallo gathered the puck in behind the net, feathered it to Anderson at the left circle and he one-timed it past Hince.
Jim Koehler had a great chance to increase the lead in the final seconds as he stole the puck and broke in alone, only to hit the left post.
Klingensmith smothered a rocket from the point off the stick of Kyle VanDermale 2:50 into the second and then made a great save on Riley Hill as he worked a give-and-go with Ryan Burke.
Norwich upped the lead at 8:19 with a beautiful goal. Steve Coon banked the puck off the left boards to Nikita Kashirsky, who fired it across the ice off the right boards and onto the stick of Rico Piatelli. The senior ripped a shot inside the left post.
Plattsburgh countered at 12:05 when Klingensmith couldn't handle Corey John's shot from the left point and Vick Schlueter poked in the loose puck.
The Cadets answered at 16:10 to regain their two-goal advantage. Tim Houston broke into the zone and dropped a pass for Emmond Bell. He sent a laser to the left post and Roman Krivda drove it home.
After killing six penalties, Norwich finally got burned. Dylan Clarke sent a pass across the circles to Willock on the left and he one-timed it past Klingensmith at 13:08 of the third.
The Cardinals tied it on their next power play. Riley Hill fed Joey Wilson at the left point and his drive hit the right post. The puck came to Farrow, who lifted it over a diving defenseman into the open net.
Although the Cadets won the shootout, they know they dodged a bullet of sorts, giving Plattsburgh eight power plays.
"We talked about it between … periods, we've got to cut back on bad penalties or they're going to catch up with us," Fimiani said.
"We came out strong in the first couple of periods, all four lines going, but we knew they had a lot of firepower and they could come back."
Plattsburgh coach Bob Emery lamented his team's inability to cash in its scoring opportunities.
"We didn't have a LOT of chances but I though we had some good looks early we didn't take advantage of," he said. "This is our second game in a row we came back in the third period pretty late but we can't rely on that. We've got to somehow be opportunistic and fill the net early."
The Cardinals scored three times in the third at Potsdam to pull out a 4-4 tie in their last game.
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