Friday’s game was just as anticipated…a great goaltending match-up. Nothing beats a 1-1 game (except for a Brockport victory). While most people would have preferred a bunch of goals, readers of this blog know that this is the type of game that I love. Talk about some serious drama! Riveting from minute-to-minute and shot-to-shot.
Here are my thoughts:
Brockport totally dominated the game. The shot differential of 50-29 tells you that. And, it wasn’t that Brockport took a lot of easy, breadbasket shots at Fredonia’s net. Their goaltender Pat Street made a lot of spectacular saves and stopped many a flurry of shots. If it weren’t for Street, Fredonia would have lost, no ifs ands or buts.
Street was great all night. In the first he made a dramatic pad save on a point blank Schott shot, after Lucas Schott took a sweet behind-the-back pass. It was his best save of the night.
But, that should not discount what he did during the power plays. Brockport absolutely demolished Fredonia’s penalty killers (I would love to see this every game!) and they put countless shots on Street with the man advantage. The kid is great in a mob and his impressive crowd vision and reflexes allowed him to single-handedly stop Brockport’s power play.
The match-up of the SUNYAC’s best goaltenders could be considered a stalemate because Todd Sheridan was just as great. He made 2 killer glove saves basically off the faceoff. The second one was with just 45 seconds left in the second period…had that gone in, the locker room and energy would have been quite different following the second. He also kept the game alive….with 10 seconds left in regulation there was a flurry at the Brockport net which he had to keep away with four sprawling leg pad and arm saves.
Brockport hustled all night. Everyone was moving. I loved the all-out play showed by Shoff and Tremblay…in the first and third respectively each guy laid himself out to push the puck down ice to allow for easy line transitions.
Noble was a pest to Fredonia and I thought he was exceptionally impressive in the first, sending bodies flying against the boards. Gershon was just a great and he maintained high energy all game long.
James Cody again had Brockport’s best hit of the game: while getting crosschecked he dumped the Fredonia offender on his back. His ringing shot off the crossbar in the second was oh, so, close to victory.
The scare of the game came with 7 seconds left in the second with Dave McNab injuring his right knee. I was very surprised and quite happy to see him return in the third. He’s the engine that drives Brockport’s physical game and his slapshot is a must-have on the ice.
Buff State lost to Geneseo last night, just as I predicted, which, added to last night’s tie, further messes up the standings. BS and Cortland are both 3-3-1 in the conference, tied for fourth. Brockport, Fredonia, and Potsdam remain at sixth all with a 2-3-2 record. So, tonight’s game against Buff State takes on even more importance.
Here’s the Athletic Department’s report of the game….
The College at Brockport Hockey team an early lead but the lead was only good for four minutes as SUNY Fredonia tied the game and neither team was able to score in the final two and a half periods and overtime as the teams skated to a 1-1 tie in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game Friday at the Tuttle North Ice Arena in Brockport.
Brockport (4-5-2 Overall, 2-3-2 SUNYAC) fired 50 shots on goal but had trouble finding the back of the net as Fredonia (4-4-3, 2-3-1) goalie Pat Street finished with 49 saves for the Blue Devils.
Tremblay scored in the first period with assists being awarded to James Cody (Schwenksville, PA) and Justin Noble (Georgetown, ONT). Four minutes later, Jeff Aonso forced in a rebound in the mouth of the Brockport goal after the play had seemed to be stopped in front of Brockport goalie Todd Sheridan (Edison, NJ).
Sheridan finished with 28 saves including 12 in the third period and four more in the 5-minute overtime period as Brockport outshot the Blue Devils by a 50-29 margin.
