It was the game everyone hoped for as two dynamic teams squared off for the national championship at Raymond J Bourque Arena on the campus of Endicott College. As expected, regulation time wasn’t enough as a spirited overtime session went back and forth until Wil Crane converted a blocked shot to the right of the Adrian goal with a shot high over fallen Adrian goalie Nic Tallarico for the dramatic winning goal and a 3-2 Statesmen win.
It was the Statesmen who started fast and got the scoring going in the first period as both teams exchanged early chances before Shane Shell pounced on a puck loose in the crease and put it behind Tallarico at 7:24 for a 1-0 lead. Just four minutes later, Luke Aquaro stole the puck from Adrian defenseman Austin Clyne and went in alone on Tallarico where he deked the goalie down before shooting it low on the glove side into the net for a 2-0 Statesmen lead. Less than one minute later, Adrian responded with their exceptional power play as Ty Enns found a loose puck to the left of Hobart goaltender Damon Beaver and scored to cut the deficit to one goal. Later in the period, Lonan Bolger lost his feet at the blueline turning the puck over to Adrian’s Riley Murphy who tried to deke Beaver down to the right but the Hobart netminder stayed with the high backhand shot and got a piece to send it to the netting and keeping the score at 2-1 at the end of the first period.
“I think we were surprised with how quickly they got north with the puck,” said Adrian head coach Adam Krug. “They really caught us for half or two-thirds of the first period before we got our footing and caught up with their play. It was a great hockey game between two very good teams – probably then two best teams in the country.”
Adrian picked up the intensity in the second period and created a lot of pressure around Beaver’s crease and at times in it but despite 15 shots on goal, the Bulldogs could not find the equalizer against the freshman netminder who was making some very big saves. Down the other end Tallarico also was on top of his game as he rejected a number of point blank chances for the Statesmen but no goals were scored in the middle stanza leaving twenty minutes to potentially decide a champion.
The third period was an up-and-down the ice affair with both teams showing great speed and puck support in all three zones. Both goalies were asked to make big saves particularly Tallarico as Hobart looked for the goal to ice the win. With just over five minutes remaining in the period, Adrian’s top line took the ice and the newly named Sid Watson Award winner, Matus Spodniak delivered the game-tying goal with assists from Alessio Luciani and Matthew Rehding. The final five minutes were chaotic as both teams vied for the winning goal but Beaver and Tallarico were up to the task sending the game to overtime tied at 2-2.
In the overtime period, the pace was amazing with both teams generating good chances that were blocked or saved by the opposing goaltender. With just five minutes remaining in overtime, Hobart’s fourth line created some offensive pressure and a shot from Brenden Howell was blocked wide of the goal right to a waiting Wil Crane who one timed the puck high over Tallarico and Hobart had a 3-2 win and their first national championship.
“I wasn’t worried about overtime with these guys,” said Hobart head coach Mark Taylor. “We haven’t lost an overtime game all season and these guys have been really good about sticking to the game plan. It was great to see the fourth line come up with he game-winner. Playing teams like Endicott and Adrian who roll four lines, we had to match that pace and intensity and I am so proud of that group and Wil Crane who finished it off for us.”
Beaver finished the game with a season-high 37 saves on 39 shots and was named the tournament MVP.
Game Notes
- Adrian’s 39 shots were the highest total allowed by Hobart all season and it was the first time the Statesmen had been outshot all season
- Hobart blocked 29 Adrian shots for the game
- Hobart was unbeaten in all games where they wore their white jerseys
- Spodniak’s goal was his 30th of the season – a first for Adrian since 2008
- All-Tournament team included Ty Enns and Jaden Shields from Adrian with Luke Aquaro, Wil Crane, Austin Mourar and Damon Beaver from Hobart
- Each team recorded only three minor penalties in the game
Special thanks to Shawn Medeiros and the Endicott Athletic Department for great support and access during the Frozen Four weekend.
