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Recap for games of January 20-22: Northwood School Invitational
New York vs. Boston:
there’s a rivalry Bruin
’Cats rally to tie Beantown’s EJHL team in last
preliminary game, but Junior Bruins move into
semis based on strange tournament tiebreaker
It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times—all in a 30-minute span last Saturday night.
The New York Junior Bobcats, thinking they needed to at least tie the Boston Junior Bruins in order to make it out of their grouping in the Northwood School Invitational, trailed 3-1 with less than five minutes to play in their third and final preliminary-round game. Then defensemen Danny Markowitz and Casey Hubbard scored in a 48-second span to tie the score and, apparently, send the Bobcats into the tournament semifinals.
Jim Hunt, the Bruins’ head coach, approached Bobcats coach Aleksey Nikiforov after the game to congratulate him on outplaying his team (the Bobcats outshot Boston, 41-17). The referees even skated over to Nikiforov to wish him luck. And the Bobcats wore glowing smiles in the locker room, knowing they had just showed tremendous character in rallying to tie one of the best teams the rival Eastern Junior Hockey League has to offer.
The stalemate meant the teams shared 2-0-1 records, with the Bobcats holding a four-point advantage in goal differential, 19-9 to 12-6. So the Bobcats were in, right?
Wrong. Due to the Northwood Invitational rules, which state that the team with the least goals allowed will advance in the case of equal records, the Bobcats placed second in Group C. Thus, they were relegated to a consolation game against the Group D runners-up New Jersey Hitmen.
“Aleksey said, ‘We’re in, we’re in,’” Markowitz recalled, “and then [Bobcats General Manager] Ron Kinnear came into the locker room and said, ‘You’re not,’ and it was kind of like a bomb.”
So while the Bobcats were defeating the EJHL Southern Division-leading Hitmen, 6-3, in the consolation game, the Bruins were on their way to the tournament title. They pounded the Boston Bulldogs, New York’s AJHL rivals, 5-1, in the semifinals before beating the host Northwood School in the championship game.
“We didn’t come in second. We came in first. We didn’t lose anything and we tied the Junior Bruins, so mentally we’re winners,” Nikiforov said on Monday, when he had a full day to digest the Bobcats’ strange twist of fate. “We wanted to prove that we’re the best team in our league and in the EJHL, and we proved that we’re one of the best teams around—not just in New York State, but along the whole [East] Coast… I’m very proud of what my team did.”
The fact the Bobcats played like they had something to prove speaks of their maturity—that their place atop the AJHL standings isn’t nearly enough to satisfy them.
“I was definitely real angry, and I know a lot of other guys were, because we didn’t want to play on Sunday in a game that didn’t really mean anything,” Bobcats forward and assistant captain Patrick Moriarty said. “I mean, it was nice to beat up on another EJHL team [the Hitmen], but we really wanted to go for the top prize of winning the tournament.”
And the fact the Bobcats could not get what they wanted most—the Northwood Invitational title—is sure to drive them in their pursuit of their first ever AJHL crown.
“This is when we kind of turn it up and start steamrolling people,” Moriarty added. “We can’t leave any game with anything but a win.”
If only the Bobcats would have known that going into their game against the Bruins. After pounding on the New Jersey Titans, 9-0, in the opener Friday afternoon and then escaping a cheap-shot-marred win over Belle Tire (Mich.), 7-4, without any injuries on Saturday morning, the Bobcats were ready to battle the Bruins.
The Bruins were undoubtedly out for revenge, considering they lost to the Bobcats, 3-2, in overtime of the Northwood Invitational semifinals last year. It was a defeat that denied the Bruins their third straight Northwood Invitational title. And although they were dominated in the first 25-minute period, the Bruins held a 1-0 halftime lead thanks to the gutsy goaltending of Chris Rossi.
“It could have easily been 8-2 [in the Bobcats’ favor] in the first half of that game,” Moriarty said, “but that kid stood on his head.”
New York finally got on the scoreboard when Moriarty converted assists from center Jarrett Gold and Markowitz 9:56 into the second half. But the Bruins had already scored twice by then, and when Nick Decroo tallied an insurance goal for Boston with less than eight minutes left, it appeared the game was over.
Enter Markowitz, who played some of his steadiest hockey last weekend. After receiving a pass from Moriarty at the point, Markowitz turned and skated into the slot. While falling forward and eventually down to the ice, Markowitz got enough of his stick on the puck to fire it under Rossi’s pads and inside the far post.
“I think that was definitely the turning point of the game, just to get momentum back,” said Moriarty, who along with center Oscar Von Sydow helped to screen Rossi on the play. “In a game like that, you definitely need it.”
Just as well, the Bobcats needed another rare offensive contribution from Hubbard to tie it 48 seconds later. An assistant captain best known for his stability at his defensive end, it was Hubbard’s third goal in as many weekends after he totaled just one over the Bobcats’ first 25 games. But none was bigger than this one. And none more decisive.
The play started in the defensive zone, from where the puck was transitioned up the right boards. Hubbard raced to it at the top of the right circle in the offensive zone and, without hesitation, wristed it home to knot the score at 3.
“That’s what we’re talking about—don’t give them [the opposing team’s defense] time to set up,” Nikiforov said. “Finally, he starts doing what I expect, what I teach him, and right now he’s really starting to understand.”
“He’s jumping into the play more, and he’s more confident with the puck,” Markowitz added of Hubbard. “He got it on the right boards, and it’s an Olympic-sized rink so it was really far away. And his shot hit the post and went right in.”
At the time, what was a tie on paper seemed more like a victory for the Bobcats.
“I knew our team could fight back, because we’ve done it before,” Moriarty said. “To come back like that is pretty good against a team like that, especially with the way the Bruins’ goalie was playing.”
Fittingly, a tie game that was clinched by a Bobcat veteran in his last year of junior eligibility was played in honor of another Bobcat veteran in his last year of eligibility—forward Frank Rizzo, who fell ill at the start of the tournament and was unable to play most of the team’s last two games.
“He’s a great kid, so I hope he’ll be back, especially for this weekend’s All-Star Game,” Nikiforov said of Rizzo, a return selection to the AJHL All-Star Game that will be played at 1 p.m. Jan. 29 in Salem, N.H. “He wants to play.”
Hubbard is a first-time selection to the All-Star Game. And this year he certainly deserved it, especially considering the way he has played of late.
“He has great skills, strong skating, and the last couple of weeks he just turned it around,” Nikiforov said. “Sometimes it takes more than one day, one season to get it, believe me. And right now, I expect he’ll be playing like that constantly.”
After the game, Hubbard’s teammates even teased him about his infrequent offensive contributions. One of them was Bobcats forward and head captain Michael Coppola.
“I remember Coppola joking around with Casey,” Moriarty recalled, “and saying it was a good time to save your goal and get it when we need it.”
Goals came by the bushel in the tourney opener against the New Jersey Titans. Bobcats leading scorer Tony Romano totaled two goals and an assist, including his team-leading 12th power-play goal of season. Recent roster addition Billy Blaszcyk had two goals and an assist. Rizzo added a goal and an assist, including his third game-winner and fifth power-play goal of season. Von Sydow and Moriarty each had a goal and two assists, Moriarty his team-leading 44th and 45th assists. And goalies Evan Hyndman (17 saves in 35 minutes) and Doug Danzi (3 saves in 15 minutes) combined to register the Bobcats' fourth shutout of season.
The next game against Belle Tire was much more of a battle—both figuratively and literally. For starters, the teams traded goals back and forth in the first period. But then, when the Bobcats took a 7-4 lead with 10 minutes left and all but wrapped up the win, things started to get ugly. Sensing defeat, Belle Tire went after several Bobcats players with cheap shots, most notably Romano—an obvious target since he has already locked up a spot on Cornell University’s ice hockey team. Finally, the Bobcats had seen enough, and skirmishes broke out all over the ice.
There was Rizzo putting two different Belle Tire players in headlocks. There was Hubbard taking care of two others. Defenseman Max White was paired up with another. And even Romano, who isn’t known for being a tough guy, got some shots in.
Nikiforov was upset the referees allowed Belle Tire’s players to get away with their goon-like tactics for much of the game. When the dust settled, though, the referees knew very well who the instigators were: they handed out three game misconducts to Belle Tire, none to the Bobcats.
Moriarty explained the situation. “Down 7-4, teams are going to take shots at us,” he said. “Tony’s on the ice. They [the Belle Tire players] know he’s already got his [college] commitment. They already lost the night before, and they know if they lose this game it’s pretty much over for them.
“They’re going to do whatever they can to get us suspended or hurt guys,” Moriarty continued. “But, as a team, we’ve come a long way. We know that everyone is behind each other, and if things go wrong you know someone’s behind you to take care of business on the ice… [Opposing teams] can’t stop us like that.”
Simply put, the Bobcats have too many weapons. Gold led all scorers in the game with two goals and two assists. Coppola (2G, 1A), forward Stephen Schultz (1G, 2A), Romano (3A) and defenseman Justin Porpora (2A) each added multiple-point games. So did feisty forward Angelo Vrachnas (1G, 1A), who netted his second game-winner of season.
No goal, however, was bigger than Coppola’s clincher with 10:02 left. Schultz set up the play when he carried in behind the net before sending a perfect pass in front to Coppola, who roofed in one-timer to make it 7-4 and, unfortunately, set off the Belle Tire blow-up.
Coppola and Schultz were pictures of consistency in Lake Placid. Both scored at least one point in all four games, and both finished with a team-best seven points on three goals and four assists. They capped the weekend with a goal and an assist apiece in Sunday’s consolation game. Both of their goals were empty-netters that sealed the deal after the Hitmen had pulled within 4-3.
First-year Bobcat Michael Marcou got the Bobcats off to a good start on Sunday morning. After taking control of the puck in the defensive end and skating it into the neutral zone, Marcou passed to Blaszcyk. Then, as Blaszcyk moved the puck into the right corner, Marcou crashed the net. Blaszcyk’s centering pass somehow found its way to Marcou, who finished it into the right side of the net for a 1-0 lead.
New York’s fast start was evidence it wasn’t about to quit after Saturday night’s disappointing news. Markowitz said Nikiforov wouldn’t let them.
“He didn’t relax,” Markowitz said of his coach. “He got everything out of us that he always demands.”
Not that the Bobcat players didn’t understand the significance of facing the EJHL’s Southern Division leaders.
“We knew this was an important game, another EJHL team, and it was a good opportunity to prove once again that our league and our team are at that level, or even beyond it,” Markowitz said. “By no means did we die. We probably played equally as good as we did the night before [against the Bruins].”
It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times… well, maybe it wasn’t all that bad. The Bobcats still went undefeated on the weekend, improving their Northwood School Invitational record to 7-1-1 under Nikiforov. And next year, the Bobcats will be well aware of the tournament’s tie-breaker rules.
“I feel that we kind of got gypped. It’s the rules, though,” Moriarty said. “Every tournament’s got a rule, and it’s just what happens. You can’t change it.
“I’m a little bummed,” he added, “but I think to go in and tie one of the best teams in the EJHL and beat another and come out with three wins and a tie, it’s a good weekend.”
GAME 1: FRIDAY, JANUARY 20
1 2 FINAL
N.Y. BOBCATS 1 8 9
New Jersey Titans 0 0 0
Goals – NYB: Rizzo (assisted by Porpora, Ernyey; 24:44 1st, PP), Romano (Rizzo, Cantor; 1:44 2nd), Blaszcyk (Moriarty, Ernyey; 2:23 2nd), Moriarty (Blaszcyk, Von Sydow; 8:48 2nd), Romano (Porpora, Markowitz; 10:19 2nd, PP), Von Sydow (Conway; 11:15 2nd), Blaszcyk (Von Sydow, Moriarty; 15:40 2nd), Gold (Romano; 18:45 2nd), Schultz (Mangene, Coppola; 21:51 2nd); NJT: none. Saves – NYB: Hyndman 17 (17 shots, 35 minutes), Danzi 3 (3 shots, 15 minutes); NJT: Swick 39 (48 shots, 50 minutes).
GAME 2: SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
1 2 FINAL
Belle Tire (Mich.) 3 1 4
N.Y. BOBCATS 5 2 7
Goals – NYB: Gold (Porpora, Romano; 0:30 1st), Gold (Rizzo; 4:02 1st), Coppola (Vrachnas, DeMayo; 11:12 1st), Mangene (Schultz, Markowitz; 15:21 1st), Vrachnas (Romano, Gold; 24:00 1st), Schultz (Gold, Romano; 18:53 2nd, PP), Coppola (Schultz, Porpora; 19:39 2nd); BT: Graham (Chiapperino, Dokko; 6:56 1st), Graham (Miller, Chiapperino; 16:55 1st), Smith (Harrison; 18:21 1st), Graham (Dokko; 7:03 2nd). Saves – NYB: Hyndman 10 (13 shots, 18 minutes), Danzi 15 (16 shots, 32 minutes); BT: Thompson 14 (19 shots, 25 minutes), N/A 15 (17 shots, 25 minutes).
GAME 3: SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
1 2 FINAL
N.Y. BOBCATS 0 3 3
Boston Jr. Bruins 1 2 3
Goals – NYB: Moriarty (Gold, Markowitz; 9:56 2nd), Markowitz (Moriarty, Coppola; 21:59 2nd), Hubbard (Schultz, Blaszcyk; 22:47 2nd); BJB: Donovan (Decroo; 12:57 1st), Driscoll (unassisted; 5:00 2nd), Decroo (Butler, Kimball; 17:19 2nd). Saves – NYB: Hyndman 14 (17 shots, 50 minutes); BJB: Rossi 38 (41 shots, 50 minutes).
CONSOLATION: SUNDAY, JAN. 22
1 2 FINAL
N.Y. BOBCATS 4 2 6
New Jersey Hitmen 1 2 3
Goals – NYB: Marcou (Blaszcyk; N/A 1st), Porpora (Coppola; N/A 1st), DeMayo (Schultz, Mangene; N/A 1st), Von Sydow (Moriarty, Cantor; N/A 1st), Coppola (Cantor; N/A 2nd, EN), Schultz (unassisted; N/A 2nd, EN); NJH: Mladenoff (Peltz, Principato; N/A 1st), Rupert (Heaslip; N/A 2nd); DiCamillo (Heaslip, Gorelick; N/A 2nd). Saves – NYB: Danzi 17 (20 shots, 50 minutes); NJH: N/A.
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