Exact opposite of my predictions, but with the match-up we got for the championship now, I ain't complaining!
(1) Guilford 4 vs (4) Trumbull 2
-“We came out good and scored that first one, but then we ran out of gas,” Trumbull coach Greg Maxey said...that pretty much sums up the game. Trumbull's Alex Hyde scored 1:53 into the game on a pass from Shaun Kennedy but the Eagles didn't do much after that getting outshout 13-7 in the first period, 14-4 in the second and 10-6 in the third. Guilford made sure to tie the game before the first period ended as defensemen Christian Cattaruzza scored a beautiful rising slap shot from just inside the left side of blue line. The second period saw goals from James Mackey on the rebound from Ryan Moore's shot, only 1:16 into the period and then four minutes and twelve seconds later, while on the penalty kill, Moore fed Billy Ring who scored a short-handed goal. 5:31 into the third, Trumbull made the score interesting when Charles Genster set up freshman Vincent Russello to score a nice backhand but Guilford was still in control hitting two posts and one crossbar in the period. They did finally score the insurance goal when Troy Raccuia beat Trumbull's goalie, Matt Paolini, with only 1:01 left in the game. Paolini is only a sophomore but had 33 saves for his team. Guilford's Luc Amatruda had 15 saves while Derek Nelson, Stephen Petrick, Bily Ring and David DeCaprio all had assists.
(2) Cheshire 2 vs (3) Wilton 1 OT
-What a great way to kick off the 2011 games at Ingalls! Wilton came out strong in the first period, outshooting Cheshire and playing lockout defense. However, one mistake is all it takes and when Cheshire Forward Owen Powers took the puck at mid-ice, split the defense and ripped a shot, he got it right through Wilton goalie Kevin O'Connell's five-hole. Wilton continued to control the game, for the most part, in the second and got their equalizer when Dillon Pastorello took a slap shot from the right circle that O'Connell deflected but Alex Pagliaro was right there to bang home the rebound. The second period ended 1-1. Cheshire got better as the game went on and the third period was a back-and-forth battle between two really good teams in what felt like it was the championship game. Cheshire goalie Tyler Carbone was more than spectacular for the Rams all game long, making impressive saves in every period and keeping his team in it; he finished with 24. Carbone's play must have inspired his team, along with a speech from head coach Jim Riccitelli, because the Rams came out firing in OT and finally put enough pressure on O'Connell (21 saves) to score when Spencer Hackett got behind the net and fed Owen Powers, who one-timed it inside the right post for the victory! It was Cheshire's sixth shot of OT compared to Wilton who only had two in the eight minutes and forty-three seconds that passed before Powers' game-winner.
Cheshire vs Guilford will be an amazing championship game and there is so much to say about it...check back for the preview on Thursday night (game is Friday night at 730pm)!
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