Goss lifts Marauders 3-2 in OT
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By KRIS MARTIN Correspondent - Published: December 17, 2009
NORTHFIELD – The Northfield Marauders will skate for the Scott R. Boyce Tournament championship against the St. Johnsbury Hilltoppers after defeating the Peoples Academy Wolves in overtime, 3-2, in boys hockey Wednesday.
"From our zone, Jacob Audet-Ricker was down in the corner and the puck luckily popped out to me on my stick," Northfield's Michael Goss said of his game-winner. "I got loose, shot it to the right side of the goal and it went in."
Senior Alex Green and sophomore Audet-Ricker scored goals in regulation for the Marauders, with Green, Audet-Ricker and Goss getting assists. Wesley Thompson and Crystfer Leikert tallied for Peoples Academy with Ben Andres, Patrick Titterton and Chris Hinrichs picking up assists. The Marauders outshot Peoples Academy 33-15 in regulation.
"This is the first time we've ridden a rollercoaster this year," Northfield coach Paul Clayton said. "When you don't make the other team work hard, you can play with just five guys. The work rate has to come first."
The matchup proved to be an exciting performance, played in two 25-minute periods instead of the usual three 15-minute ones. And at times, it seemed it really was two different games with both teams and their goalies riding momentum at different moments.
Green got the Marauders on the board taking help from fellow seniors Audet-Ricker and Goss before beating Wolves goalie Nathan Allure (31 saves). Allure's memory proved short later in the half as he turned away a slapshot from Goss and covered the puck preventing an easy cleanup for Audet-Ricker who was trailing, looking for an easy rebound goal. Northfield goalie Ben Albury (14 saves) proved up to the task as well, halting a good push from the Wolves that in turn led to the Marauders' Goodman taking a pass from Green and converting it for their second goal of the night.
"I thought we weren't going to the puck like we're used to, but we were able to finish," Green said. "We worked hard on some plays, but at times we were sloppy," Green said. "We knew it was going to get a little rough at the end with the 25-minute halves, but it wasn't too bad."
Not to be outdone, People's Academy's Thompson wristed a shot off the post and in from a near-impossible angle, almost behind the net, to put the Wolves on the board 2-1 with four minutes to go in the half. Northfield remained strong on the forecheck to the halftime unable to extend their lead.
The Wolves continued their comeback in the second half as Who put in a rebound goal to knot the score at 2-2. As the minutes got shorter, it was also as if Allure got better in goal as well.
With the score tied at the end of regulation, Goss and the Marauders seized their chance to close the night with 1:10 left in overtime.
"Alex Green brings it every night, he's a sparkplug," Clayton said. "And Ryan Wells had a great open-ice check to break the puck loose for Mike's goal."
The Boyce Tournament champion will be determined Friday at Norwich University's Kreitzberg Arena at 8 p.m. with Northfield (3-1) taking on St. Johnsbury (2-1). The consolation game will be between Lyndon(1-4) and Peoples Academy (0-2) at 6 p.m.
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