Mount finds way past Prout
KINGSTON — Lessons are often learned the hard way in sports. The Mount St. Charles boys hockey team was fortunate enough on Sunday afternoon to face a dose of reality against Prout, yet still come away with the game and series win.
After trailing 2-0 midway through the second period, the Mounties rallied back on goals by Alex Pratt and Alex Gonfrade. Everett Misto netted the game-winner, and also connected on a empty-netter to give Mount the 4-2 victory.
The closeness of the competition isn’t shocking for a Division I playoff game, but the Mounties came in riding the high of a 12-1 victory in Game 1 of the series. Head coach Dave Belisle saw an emotional hangover take over his players in Sunday’s game.
“No excuse,” he said. “I told them, [Prout has] seniors on their team. If this is going to be their last game - I warned them, they’re gonna bring it. And they sure did. They outplayed us for a period and a half. Emotionally, physically. Lesson learned. We just weren’t ready. They should have been. They had plenty of time to prepare. The other team was ready.”
The Crusaders were out-shot and out-possessed for the entirety of the contest, but generated good looks at the net when they did have the puck. Bennett Masterson opened the scoring midway through the first period, connect- ing on a one-timer from the right wing.
Meanwhile, Masterson’s twin brother Wells was standing on his head in goal. He faced three shots on an early Mount power play, and stopped 26 of the first 28 shots he faced.
“A lot of shots we missed the net,” Belisle said. “When you’re sharp, you put it in. When you’re sharp, you make the right pass. When you’re intense, you win those battles.
“Their goaltender played extremely well, and their defense did a good job of eliminating rebounds. Kid had a nice glove, played very well. Their whole team played well.”
The Prout lead doubled on a Nicholas Gauvin redirect that slowly slid into the net. The Mounties response was swift and changed the whole tone of the game heading into the period break.
Pratt dumped the puck into the goal from the corner with 4:53 to play in the second. Moments later, CeeJay Laquerre had a breakaway chance that nearly went, but was ultimately stuffed by Masterson.
The offensive swarm didn’t let up, and 16 seconds into a power play opportunity, Gonfrade tied the game at 2-2.
With the Mountie skaters flying around the Prout zone, it seemed an eventuality that they would break the 2-2 deadlock. Masterson and the Crusaders held firm for as long as they could, but there wasn’t enough in their collective tanks to stop the surging opposition.
“Fortunately we played well in the third period, and won the game,” Belisle said. “Intensity [was there], we beat them to the puck more. That’s what you have to do in playoff hockey. If the other team has possession of the puck like Prout did, they can make plays. We possessed the puck in the third period because we made more of an effort to contain it.”
Misto had the two third-period scores, but easily could have been joined in the scoresheet by Brendan Donahue and Trey Borque. Both had clean looks at the net that would have ended any shot Prout had at a comeback. Donahue’s shot attempt tantalizingly hit the inside portion of the left post before careening harmlessly into the corner.
Misto put an end to the upset threat with 17 seconds left to play, scoring an empty-netter from mid-ice. The 2-0 series win advances the Mounties to the semifinals, where La Salle awaits Friday night at Smithfield Municipal Rink.