Team Simmonds wins in OT in Showcase Game Thriller
Kyle Peters scored one minute into the overtime period as Team Simmonds rallied from a three goal deficit to defeat Team Giroux 9-8 in the Junior-Senior Showcase game held at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. Max Kuznetsov led Team Giroux with six goals. Dominic Garrozzo had three goals and four assists and Kyle Peters added a hat trick for Team Simmonds. Luke Dobbs opened the scoring giving Team Giroux the early 1-0 lead. Dennis Campbell tied the game at 1-1 at the five minute mark.
Kuznetsov got the first of his six on the night with four minutes left in the period to give his team a 2-1 advantage. Johnny Pearson made it 3-1 in the final seconds of the period. Garrozzo got Team Simmonds to within 3-2 early in the second period, but Kuznetsov would respond four minutes later to push the lead back to 4-2 and less than one minute later Kuznetsov scored again for a 5-2 lead.
Garrozzo and Peters would combine on a nice goal for Team Simmonds to cut the lead to 5-3, but Kuznetsov responded once again and Team Giroux led 6-3 midway through the second period. Ian Plummer, a late addition to the roster would get Team Simmonds back to within 6-4 with five minutes left in the period, but Kuznetsov would get his fifth of the night with forty seconds left in the period to make it 7-4 after two.
Peters would score two goals in the first three minutes to get Team Simmonds to within 7-6. But once again Kuznetsov would connect for his sixth, this one off his helmet and the lead was 8-6. Garrozzo cut the lead to 8-7 with four minutes left and Sam Libetti went top shelf with two minutes left to tie the game at 8-8. Garrozzo and Peters began the overtime and after great pressure down low Peters put home the game winner.
Notes: This was Coach McKay’s second straight win after numerous losses in previous Showcase games. Scouts in attendance were from Rowan, Rider and Delaware and a few junior teams. Thanks to Scott McKay for reaching out to these schools.
Written by Mike Costantino