MORRISTOWN-BEARD AND MORRISTOWN BATTLE TO TIE IN FIRST LEAGUE OT GAME
History was made at Mennen Arena on Monday night, as for the first time in MCSSIHL history, a regular-season game went to overtime.
This season, with the new rule which states that there will be 4-on-4 overtime for five minutes after regulation, was put into play for the first time in this league. It was all thanks to a furious Morristown rally late, as it rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final minutes to knot it up at two.
After a back-and-forth overtime with chances for both teams, the teams finished with a 2-2 tie. It snapped a nine-game divisional losing streak for Morristown dating back to last season.
Peter Cross had a second-period power play goal for Morristown-Beard, which was followed by a power play goal from Ryan Tartaglione early in the third period to build a 2-0 lead. It appeared that lead was going to hold up, until Morristown-Beard was called for a five-minute major penalty with just over six minutes remaining in regulation.
Willem Kerr finished off a feed from Jackson Byrne with 5:30 left, before Clark Smith knotted it up with 2:58 to go.
Both goalies made spectacular saves throughout the night, as Morristown held a 38-31 shot advantage. Morristown goalie Thatcher Neville made 29 saves- including one sequence in overtime where he made the initial save, a rebound save, followed by another save in a span of a few seconds.
Morristown-Beard freshman goalie Mason Hriczov also had a strong performance in his first varsity start, turning away 36 shots to help his team preserve the tie.
RANDOLPH ERUPTS IN THIRD TO TOPPLE MORRIS KNOLLS-HILLS
It took all of eight minutes for a Randolph deficit to turn into a lopsided win.
The Rams, which went into the third period trailing by one, scored six unanswered goals in a span of 8:31 in the third period to come out of it with a 9-4 win over rival Morris Knolls-Hills at Mennen Arena.
Andrew George tied it 4:27 into the third, before Shane Melly scored what proved to be the game-winning goal 42 seconds later. Jacob Campbell, Jase Zangara, George, and Ryan Thomas all scored the insurance goals to put the game away in what was the highest-scoring game between the two rivals of at least the last 23 years.
Jase Zangara finished with three goals and two assists for Randolph. Shane Melly and Ryan Thomas each had two goals and an assist, while Daniel Sharkey had three assists and Vincent Crisafulli had two helpers.
Ryan Nevins and Jack Martinez scored 58 seconds apart late in the second to give Morris Knolls-Hills the lead, capping off a back-and-forth opening 30 minutes in which there were three lead changes.
Luke Dickerson, Ryan Nevins, and Martinez each had a goal and an assist. Brandon Strunck had two assists in the loss.
Randolph is now 2-0 on the season, with both wins being Mennen wins to take early control of first place. Goalie John Krynicki stopped 19 of 23 shots to earn his second-straight win. It was also Randolph’s third-straight win over rival Knolls-Hills dating back to last season.
The teams will meet again on Jan. 29 at Mennen Arena at 4:30 p.m.
MORRISTOWN-BEARD GIRLS OPEN WITH NARROW WIN
The Morristown-Beard girls team began its state title defense with a 2-1 win over Trinity Hall at Twin Oaks Ice Rink in Morristown.
Julie Jasaitis scored the game-winning goal in the third period to break a 1-1 tie. Sophomore Sylie Sawale scored her first career goal to open the scoring in the first period, before Trinity Hall tied it up in the second period.
Morristown-Beard out-shot Trinity Hall, 37-8 in the game. Trinity Hall netminder Katie Cisar made 35 saves to keep her team in it. Sophomore Hannah Mortazavi made seven saves for Morristown-Beard in her first game as the team’s starter.
Keira Redmond also finished with two assists in the win.
OTHER SCORES
Bernards-Somerville-Middlesex 10, Mount Olive-Hopatcong-Hackettstown 1
Bayonne-Belleville-McNair 3, Parsippany Regional 1
Freehold Township-Point Pleasant Borough 10, Roxbury 4
Kent Place 6, Madison 1 (Girls)
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 