By Dylan Butler
“I'd rather score a garbage goal than a fancy goal,” Gerbert said. “It shows how hard you work in front of the net and the offensive zone.”
On Tuesday at Iceland in New Hyde Park, Gerbert led the way for the Stanners with two hard-working goals as Molloy defeated Queens rival Holy Cross, 6-4.
Gerbert's two rebound goals were his first of the year as the Woodhaven resident missed the first eight games of the season with mononucleosis.
“He was climbing the walls – he was a lousy patient,” said Molloy head coach Richie Rodgers. “He wanted to play hockey and have a good senior season.”
Added Gerbert: “It was tough to watch them play and practice. I'm a senior and I probably won't play hockey again, so I just wanted to come back and contribute.”
And Gerbert did that in a big way. In just his second game back, Gerbert put Molloy (5-5 CHSHL A) on the board with 5:27 left in the first period when he jumped on a rebound of Rob Rinaldo's wrist shot along the endline and beat Holy Cross goaltender Adam Stuckey for his first goal of the year.
Holy Cross (1-7 CHSHL A) came right back and tied the game at 1 when Mike DiNublia picked up a loose puck along the corner boards and raced in alone on Molloy goaltender Adrian Podpirka, beating him with a backhand.
Freshman Paul Livecchi's wrist shot gave the Stanners a 2-1 lead with 1:33 left in the first, but the Knights answered back again as Tim Fung's slapshot from the point deflected on the way toward the net and the puck dipped past a helpless Podpirka to tie the score at 2, 3:01 into the second period.
A little more than a minute later, Gerbert struck again as his second backhand on the doorstep appeared to be stopped by Stuckey, who sprawled across the net to get the puck. But it trickled just over the goal line as the Stanners again went ahead.
Greg Silverman's wrist shot between the circles with one second left on the power play gave the Stanners a two-goal edge, but Pat McHugh's own “garbage goal” on a backhand rebound in front of the net brought the Knights to within one again, 4-3.
The Stanners put the game away early in the third, with goals by Livecchi and DiGregorio within the first four minutes of the period to take a commanding 6-3 lead. Craig Smith's power play goal capped the scoring.
“This was the second game in a row where we played with passion and desire,” Rodgers said. “We're getting more into team play, we're starting to spread [the scoring] around.”
