Site Editor posted on December 23, 2011 22:42
Washington Township trailed 4-3 with two minutes left in the game, and goals by Garrett Quinn to tie the game and Jonathan Smith with thirty one seconds left gave Township a 5-4 win over cross-town rival Williamstown. The final few seconds was marred by a brawl at center ice, which otherwise ruined a great game by both teams.
The game was back and forth from the start, after Quinn scored in the opening three minutes to give Township the lead; Jonathan Ruiz tied the score three minutes later on the power play. Both goalies played well in stretches, Troy Altbaum denied Frank Hughes down low, twice, to keep the score even. Then Ryan McCusker stoned Jake DiStasio on a breakaway to keep the game tied. Anthony Scudder deflected a point shot by Ryan Irlich to give Williamstown its first lead at 2-1. But Township came right back as Kevin Mello tied the score at 2-2 heading into the final period.
Mike Lorence took the opening face-off and sped down the right side and beat Altbaum for a 3-2 lead for Township. That lasted less than one minutes as Ruiz and DiStasio worked a give and go, with Ruiz depositing the puck into the net and a 3-3 tie. With Quinn in the penalty box, Williamstown took a 4-3 lead as Kyle Parks put home a shot by Ruiz and the Braves led 4-3. Both McCusker and Altbaum made key saves over the next seven minutes to keep it a one goal game. Then with just under two minutes left, Quinn got the tying goal with Smith setting him up. Then with the clock winding down, Frank Hughes sent in Smith streaking down the left side and his shot beat Altbaum for the game winner.
With just four seconds left and the players bunched along the boards, pushing and shoving began and then escalated into fighting, which is not good for the team, because that carries an automatic five game suspension. It was an unfortunate ending to an otherwise great game. While I understand some fans passion for the physical part of the game, fighting at this level is never good. Losing key players as the season winds down and we head into the playoffs is a huge disadvantage.
Written by Mike Costantino
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