Blue Streaks solve Cadets in OT, 2-1
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – There was never any doubt that the Saratoga Springs ice hockey team was playing with heart Wednesday night at the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink, the question was if they could break through the wall put up by LaSalle goalie Leo Paul.
Halfway through the five minute overtime session, sophomore Andrew Blanchard managed to sneak the puck past Paul and lift the spirits of the Blue Streaks and The Storm student section, earning the win on a night dedicated to the memory of classmate Kristen Shinebarger.
It was only the second goal of the night that Paul gave up, turning back 37 shots on the night during regulation and the overtime session, but the sophomore forward, Blanchard, made his last shot count for the 2-1 win.
“Putting the puck on net it’s always worked, we always do it and it seems to be working,” Andrew Blanchard said.” We’re winning a lot games with it, we’re just going to keep going with it.”
The sneaky game-winner even surprised him.
“I was just hoping for a rebound, but the puck slipped through, thankfully.”
The Cadets (3- 4 Section 2, 4- 6-1 overall) put the pressure on the Blue Streaks (5-2 league, 9-3 overall) as Jack Bryan scored eight minutes into the opening period, putting Saratoga back on his heels early on.
“Our first periods have been, I don’t want to say lackidaisical,
not the Saratoga way,” Saratoga Springs coach Dave Torres said. “We’ve suffered along the way, not coming out ready to play.
“Today was an emotional game (dedicated to Kristen Shinebarger), an emotional first period and it just to get your legs under you and be prepared to play the game.”
Saratoga’s Devon Wormley knotted the contest at a goal apiece 10 minutes into the second period before the squads continued to skate for the next 20minutes without a score.
Well, almost without a score.
Blue Streak goalie Brad Blake came up big, not only with another win, but a key save with three minutes left in regulation.
“There was a scramble in front, I made the initial save and I saw it go wide and I was like ‘Uh oh, this can’t be good,’” Brad Blake said. “I put all the power I could into my legs and just dove across and caught it.”
It was a split-second play, but from the bench it all appeared in slow motion with the slow audio of Saratoga’s coach uttering the movielike sound of ‘Nooooooo.’
“What I saw was a big rebound and a wide-open net and Brad showed some urgency there and made a Ron Hextall-type save, diving across the crease,” Torres said. “It was a game-saver and I think that energized our bench.”
While the Blue Streaks were energized, LaSalle was running low on power late into the contest.
“I thought my guys played well in the defensive zone and we did what we had to do, but the penalties ended up being the difference in the game,” LaSalle Coach Tim Flanigan said. “We had to shorten up the bench for the penalty kills, they didn’t score, but it tired us out a little bit and took the momentum away from us.
“We played a really good game, they had more shots than us, but it’s about the score and I thought my guys did a really good job in the defensive zone limiting the shots. They didn’t get what I thought were quality, great scoring chances.”
The overtime win was the fourth in a row for the Blue Streaks, but not as easy as Blake explained about his play in goal, turning back 15 of 16 shots.
“It was a little bit off putting to me because that was a weak shot, something I definitely should have had,” Blake said. “I was too far back in my net. I should have had that.”
He’ll look to improve his performance and his own winning streak, facing the same Cadets Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College.
“I need to be more ready and just stay out more. I can’t expect to keep this momentum going. Before this game I had two shutouts in a row, I thought I was going to roll over, I’ve got to think of a better way to get onto my game after two in a row and don’t think I’m just going to come in here, win, get another shutout and keep moving on.”
Despite the loss, there is momentumbuilding for LaSalle.
“It’ll be a big game for us at home, our rink is a little smaller than this rink and we like to play in our rink,” Flanigan said. “We won’t have any trouble bouncing back; the kids are ready to go.
“This team is coming along, we beat Niskayuna 3- 0, 2-1 in OT, we’re starting to take care of the puck and do our job in the defensive zone and when you do that you can stop the other team and Leo is playing well in goal. We’ve turned the corner here the last couple games we’ve started playing much better.”