On Saturday, the IceCats seemed a bit hesitant to get going, but, in the end the IceCats Mite B team proved to be the most resilient bunch of mite hockey players.
In the first game against the Kinnelon Colts, the IceCats were able to pull away from a late 2-2 tie and win 5-2. However, the Saturday evening game against North Park proved to be more than the IceCats could handle, playing the way they were. After spotting their opponents four goals in the first period the IceCats tightened up their game, but it wasn’t enough in the end as they came up short, losing 4-2. The loss put them in a precarious situation, which left them needing a win on Sunday and a visit from Lady Luck.
The IceCats took the rink for their third, and possibly last, game of the tournament on Sunday. They played as if no team that entered the rink that day was going to beat them. They BATTLED through their struggles and found their rhythm again. A 10-1 victory over the mini mite Gulls opened the door for revenge against the team that pounced the sleeping IceCats, on the previous night, North Park.
The first period was hard fought by both teams, but mainly controlled by the IceCats. However, they would find themselves in a 1-1 tie, after one. . In the second period, North Park came out with fire, putting consistent pressure on the IceCats. Luckily, for the IceCats, goaltender Eric Smith brought his “A” game to the tournament. However, North Park finally broke through, scoring the next two goals, only two minutes apart. With six minutes to go in the period the IceCats would continue to weather the storm. Finally, with 3:04 left in the second period, Maximus “MOOSE!” Vamvaketis broke through and snuck a snapshot through the goalies legs, giving the IceCats some life. The second period would end 3-2 in favor of North Park.
The third period and beyond would prove to be nothing short of an instant classic, worthy of being shown on ESPN. The IceCats regained their momentum and threw everything they had at North Park, but could not break through. As time seemed to be ticking away, Tommy Allen reached back and ripped a wrist shot, through center Johnny Coltellino’s legs, past the goaltender to tie the game momentarily at 3-3. A mere forty seconds later, the Cats watched their hard work go to waste as the puck was put past a sprawling Eric Smith, to help North Park regain the lead 4-3. With just over five minutes to go the IceCats would receive a fortuitous power play opportunity. The IceCats would not squander this chance. With 4:42 left in the third period, Louis Ambrosio netted the game tying goal to make the score 4-4 sending the game into OT.
The IceCats refused to stop BATTLING and controlled most of the OT period. North Park proved to be resilient, but as the IceCats have shown us time and time again this season, this weekend, and in this game, a cat always lands on its feet. With 2:17 left in OT, Tommy “got my eyes on the prize” Allen broke free... Warding off a defender the entire way down the ice… finally gaining control of the puck,.. Tommy deked to the backhand and slid it past the goalie for the gold medal winning goal!
The PeeWee Minor IceCats finished regular season play with a 16-2-0 record locking up the 2nd seed in the LIAHL playoffs. In the first round the IceCats were matched up with the Staten Island Titans. While the final score was close the Icecats controlled the play with an aggressive fore check, sound back checking, solid goaltending and a D that let no second chances combined with timely goals as the IceCats sailed to a 3-0 win, setting up the championship game with the number 1 seed the Rebels.
The IceCats only two regular season losses came at the hands of the Rebels, both being very closely played games, we had the confidence going into the championship game that this was our chance to avenge those losses. The game started off even but the IceCats fell behind in the first 1-0.Coming out strong in the 2nd the IceCats were able to break through and even the score at 1 with hard fore checking and net crashing. The IceCats were the better team in the 3rd and were able to get back on the board to take a 2-1 lead. With a lot of time left in the game we knew the Rebels were going to come hard as there was no tomorrow. The Rebels were able to tie the game at 2 and send the game in OT!
In OT the teams traded scoring chances and powerplays back and forth for 10minutes of sudden death hockey and with the game still tied the teams headed into a 5 round shootout. The Rebels won the coin toss and choose to force the IceCats to shoot 1st. Our first shooter, Tyler Anzelone came straight through center and with a quick release beat the goalie. After a big save from Matt King, Bradley Viola was able to snap a shot over the glove of the Rebels goalie and another strong save by Matt King to give the IceCats a 2-0 shootout lead. Danny Porciello, the IceCats captain was shooter number 3, like his teammates he was able to bury the puck with a quick release to put the IceCats up 3-0 in the 3rd round, The Rebels shooter needed to score to keep the shootout going and just like before Matt King shut the door on the shooter and the season to clinch the shootout win for the IceCats and capturing the PeeWee tier lll championship!
The Bobcats are generously offering any family free admission for the league playoff games this weekend if they bring crutches and/or canes to the games for Haitian relief. Bobcat Reps will be at the games to collect the crutches and canes.
The schedule is as follows:
AJHL SOUTH DIVISION ROUND ONE PLAYOFFS
BOBCATS (1) vs. NATIONALS (4) Gm 1 Friday, March 5, 2010 8:45 PM Newbridge Arena, Bellmore, NY
Gm 2 Saturday, March 6, 2010 5:20 PM Ice Works, Syosset, NY
*Gm 3 Sunday, March 7, 2010 9:20 AM IceWorks, Syosset, NY
* If Necessary
Crutches and Canes Collection
FOR HAITIAN RELIEF
Please consider donating any crutches or canes for the many Haitian people who need our help!
Please bring your old crutches or canes to the Bobcats Playoff Games on March 5th, 6th and maybe 7th or before Tuesday, March 23rd to the office in Syosset.
(THESE CLINICS ARE OPEN TO ALL PLAYERS OF THE GULLS, ICECATS, AND ANY OTHER PLAYER WHO CAN SHOW WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE GOVERNOR OF THAT ORGANIZATION)
The Midget Minor Icecats played the Iceworks President’s tournament in Aston, PA. After a rough first game against the Howard Huskies, the team went undefeated including victories over the previously undefeated Reading Jr. Royals in both regular tournament play and in the championship game.
Thanks to the Coaches an Parents for their continued support this season!
The Squirt Minor IceCats competed in the Empire State Cup hosted by the Rochester Americans over the Martin Luther King Jr weekend. In the round robin portion of the tournament, the IceCats came away with victories over two western New York teams, the Perinton Blades and the Tonawanda Lightning as well as the host Amerks. These wins propelled the team to the tournament championship game against the Markham Islanders from Unionville, Ontario. The Islanders jumped out to a 3-1 lead midway through the second period but the IceCats came back to tie the Canadian team in period three. With less than three minutes remaining in regulation time the Islanders scored a power play goal which held up as the game winner, 4-3. Our runner-up IceCats are to be congratulated on their efforts and team play. Their coaches and parents and the IceCats hockey organization are all very proud of them.
The PW Minor Icecats headed to Hagerstown Maryland to participate in the Hub City Classic over the MLK weekend. The weekend started well with a strong win over the hometown team, Hagerstown Bulldogs. The Icecats would then continue to roll taking the next two games with big contributions by all to clinch a spot in the championship game. The championship game would be a rematch with the home team the Hagerstown Bulldogs. Knowing the Bulldogs were going to leave it all on the ice, The Icecats knew they had to do the same as the hometown team was not going to let us win their championship easily. After a scoreless first, the Icecats got a key goal in between some strong penalty kills to take a 1-0 lead going into the third. Entering the third period on the Power play the Icecats knew the next two minutes could change the game and after getting a quick PP goal to start the 3rd they were able to build on that momentum and roll to a 6-0 win in the championship game!
