Major Accomplishment For Inaugural Season
The Empire State Legends Minors hockey team has clinched a playoff berth in its first season of competition in the Minor Division of the American Inline Hockey League’s New England Division.
The squad secured its spot on a doubleheader with rivals the NY Terror, Mar. 23.
The Minors gave up one game, but their win was enough to secure them a spot in the post-season.
Game 1 – Empire State
Legend Minors
It wasn’t the prettiest win, but the Minor Legends were able to hold off a late Minor Terror attack to hang on and win 4-3.
Peter DiCicco and Johnathan Berghorn split the goaltending duties in this game, as former Minor Terror Head Coach Marc Ferro was readying his team for the playoffs.
With the Minor Legends trailing 0-1, Phil Cascio’s unassisted goal on a two-on-none tied the game with 2:34 left in the period.
Three seconds later, off the draw, his brother Mike Cascio gave the Minor Legends a 2-1 lead with a wrister from the slot (Sullivan, Phil Napoli). That’s how the period ended.
In the second period, Sean Beaty’s unassisted slapper from the slot found its mark, and Mike Napoli knocked home a Phil Napoli shot during a goalmouth scramble and the Legend Elites led 4-1 with just over seven seconds left.
The Terror struck back with two quickies within a minute and a half, and the Minor Legends found themselves in a “hang on” situation.
The Minor Terror pulled their goalie in favor of the extra skater, but failed to put the equalizer past Berghorn who preserved the 4-3 win.
Game 2 – Empire State
Legend Minors
The Minor Legends blew a twogoal lead and allowed the Minor Terror a split. The Terror won 2-4.
After an almost scoreless first period, the Minor Terror got on the board with a passing play with two minutes left in the first period. Frank Thomas knotted the game at 1-1 a minute later, putting a rebound home (Sullivan, Rosen). The period ended tied at one.
The score remained tied until Minor Legends’ Rosen (Phil Cascio, Beaty) sent a slapper sailing between the legs of the Terror goalie, capitalizing on a Minor Legends power play.
It was a wakeup call for the Terror, and the squad took advantage of a Minor Legends defensive lapse, scoring the tying and go-ahead goals with a minute left.
The Minor Legends pulled their goalie to try to gain the equalizer, but a Minor Terror bullseye into the open net spoiled that opportunity, and the game ended 2-4, Terror.
The Minor Legends’ first playoff game is Apr. 27.