JOHN CULLEN
Special to The Leader
The importance of finishing games was one area the men’s hockey coaching staff and returning players addressed during the office season. Hard work made an immediate impact as this year’s Blue Devil team has established its identity as a third-period team.
“We pride ourselves on being a tough team to play against,” said Assistant Coach Mike Lysyj, “and the level of our play in the third period was a big reason for our success this weekend. HUM-NOW!
“Hum-Now is bit of a good luck thing — it has become a rallying cry of sorts for our guys,” Lysyj continued. “It’s something they say around the room that prepares them for the battle to come.”
In the first game of the weekend “home and home” series, Fredonia used a quick start and a big third period to help secure a 6-3 win against the Mustangs.
Junior forward Hunter Long scored his first goal of the season just five minutes into the game to put the Blue Devils up 1-0 after a nice play from Bobby Polachek and Ryan Wilkinson. Fredonia’s strong offensive play would continue when freshman forward Luke Rivera potted his fourth goal of the season just before the halfway mark of the period to double the Blue Devil’s lead.
Morrisville State would respond 52 seconds later as Brett Johnson beat Fredonia netminder Jeff Flagler to make it a 2-1 game and again on the powerplay, with four minutes remaining, to tie the game after a wicked snipe from Morrisville captain Joseph Santino.
The intense pace continued as both teams traded high-end scoring chances until senior Assistant Captain Taylor Bourne picked up a loose puck and rifled a perfect shot low glove side a foot off the ice that beat Morrisville goaltender Jakob Rasmussen to break the tie.
After each team scored once in the second period Fredonia found itself holding onto a one-goal lead going into the final period with a Mustang team that was knocking on the door after its last minute goal pulled them within one.
The Blue Devils took a big step forward as a team when they took to the ice for the third period. Holding off a hungry Morrisville team with some big time saves from Flagler and goals from forwards Samuel Wilbur and Marcus Ortiz, the Blue Devil’s put the game out of reach for the Mustangs. The game ended with a score of 6-3 in favor of Fredonia.
The back half of the weekend series saw Morrisville score on the first shot of the game. Fredonia forward Kyle Jelinski was able to get the Blue Devils on the board in the second period. Mustang CJ Stubbs scored less than four minutes later to regain the lead and headed into the final period up 2-1.
The Blue Devils faced a one goal deficit with 20 minutes remaining, but the comeback kids found a way to out work their opponents and willed their way to victory. Fredonia scored three unanswered goals in a span of three minutes to take a 4-2 lead.
Sophomore defenseman Oskar Gerhardson couldn’t have picked a better time for his first collegiate goal, as he rifled a rolling puck past Morrisville netminder CJ Sharp to start the comeback and tie the game at two.
Less than two minutes later, senior forward Taylor Bourne cashed in a pass from freshman forward Bobby Polachek that had taken a Blue Devil friendly bounce off of the end boards to give Fredonia its first lead of the night.
Perhaps the play of the game came a minute after Bourne’s go-ahead goal when Gerhardson executed a set face off play to perfection. Gerhardson made a 200-foot seam pass to freshman forward Jimmy Morgan who used his silky smooth mitts to feather a pass through to junior forward Marcus Ortiz who buried a shot upstairs where momma hides the cookies.
Comeback complete.
“Not enough credit can be given to my linemates,” said Ortiz. “We all worked hard, and they deserve just as much credit. They had huge weekends as well.”
Another key reason the Blue Devils have already surpassed their conference win total from a year ago has been the consistent great play from senior goaltender Jeff Flagler.
“The boys gave a great effort this weekend” said Flagler. “There is a different feeling in the locker room this year, every single guy is willing to do whatever it takes to be successful as a team.”
The Owen Sound, Ontario, native turned in back to back solid performances, making 70 saves and holding Morrisville to five goals on the weekend; this was good enough to earn him player of the game honors on Friday and a .933 save percentage.
With the two wins this weekend Fredonia jumped to No. 3 in the SUNYAC conference standings behind unbeaten Potsdam and Plattsburgh.
The Blue Devils are back on the ice when they travel to Brockport on Friday to take on the Golden Eagles before returning to Steele Hall on Saturday night to host the Geneseo Knights.
*John Cullen currently serves as the Fredonia men’s hockey team’s goaltender coach