By Dylan Butler
The result was the same, but this time the post-game reaction was far different.
As was the case Dec. 20 when they skated to a 3-3 tie, Holy Cross and Molloy — considered the top two teams in the Catholic High School Hockey League — again finished deadlocked Friday night at Abe Stark Rink on Coney Island.
But unlike that very even game when both teams were satisfied with the draw, only one team walked out happy about the 5-5 tie.
Holy Cross (5-1-2) rallied from a 5-2 deficit to score three third-period goals, including the tying tally by Chris Anastasio with 23 seconds left in the game after Knights goalie Matt Cammarata was pulled for the extra skater.
“They simply wanted it more at the end. They had more heart, more passion,” said Molloy coach Richie Rodgers. “The better team tonight was Holy Cross. We were lucky we came away with a tie.”
After an even and wild first period, which saw three of the first four goals scored in the opening 1:13, Molloy (7-0-2) took control of the game in the second period. Matt LaVanco, Mike Farrell and Matt DaVino scored on rebounds in front to give the Stanners a commanding 5-2 lead.
That lead held up until the 7:09 mark of the third period when the line of Chris Ryan, Anastasio and Pat McHugh took over.
First Ryan stuffed in a rebound of Anastasio’s shot, then McHugh scored on a delayed penalty call with 5:46 left before Anastasio netted the dramatic tying goal.
“If I was in their position I would be disappointed right now, with a 5-2 lead going into the third period,” Ryan said. “It’s a win in our eyes, I guess, but we know we can beat this team.”
Cammarata (22 saves) skated to the bench with one minute left and Holy Cross coach Mike Mitchell went with five forwards. Molloy goalie Mike Oseback (22 saves) saved Ryan’s initial shot but the puck squirted out to Anastasio, who knocked in the rebound.
“Ryan got the shot, it hit off the goalie’s pad and I put it into the open net,” Anastasio said. “In the beginning of the game I missed an open net so I made up for it.”
Added McHugh: “That’s how we should be playing the whole game. If we play like that the whole time, we would have come out of here with a victory but we put all our effort into the third period.”
McClancy 10, Cardinal Spellman 3. Stephen Ferguson and Keith Morrice each had a hat trick, Matt Sammut added two goals and Ramon Guttierrez and Charlie Gonzalez each scored a goal for McClancy (6-1 CHSHL ‘C’) last Thursday at E.J. Murray Rink in Yonkers.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
