Skip Navigation

RFH 2010, HCS Hockey

HCS Icemen Runners Up @ Tournament

Sun, Dec 12, 2010

The HCS boys hockey lost 3-2 to the Ludlow, MA Lions in the championship game of the first Lake Effect Classic in Pulaski Saturday.

Coach Murray Decock said the tournament was a good tune-up for the regular season which begins Tuesday night with a game against Utica Proctor at the Utica Auditorium. Game time is 7p.m.

HCS trailed 1-0 at the end of the first period after a defensive breakdown led to a turnover and a Ludlow goal. In the second period Hamilton tied it up on what Decock described as "a great rush to the net and Ricky Runyon banging in a laser pass to the post from Branden Thomas." Hamilton then took the lead when Alex Foster won the draw directly to Nick Koen who one-timed it into the far corner.

Ludlow scored at the end of the second period to tie it up as the two teams headed to the locker room.

Decock said the teams played a hard-fought third period with both exchanging great offensive chances. However, with three minutes left in the game a Hamilton clearing pass bounced off the referee and right onto a Ludlow player's stick who stuffed it into the net for the go-ahead goal.

Directly following that play Hamilton's Alex Brink was penalized for tripping and the Knights had to kill off a penalty, leaving only 58 seconds where they could pull goalie Brady Carroll and send a extra attacker. With the extra man and the Hamilton goal empty, Hamilton fired numerous shots at the net but none found the mesh, leaving Hamilton on the losing end of the 3-2 score.

Decock said Carroll played an excellent game in net making 28 saves on 31 shots.  

"There was a great deal more team work and the forechecking was physical and intense," said Decock. "A lot of shots on open nets went high or wide, so it's clear the team needs to direct more shots low and on the stick side. Just the same, it was a complete team effort and much improved over Thursday night's win, so we should be ready for our first league contest Tuesday night."

Please login to post your comments.