Morristown-Beard 2, Randolph 2
The Mennen Division looks like a wide-open race this year, and Friday night was no exception at Mennen Arena. Defending NJSIAA public school champion Randolph jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Morristown-Beard, but the Crimson used 35 saves from goalie Alexander George and an emotional second-period spurt to come back for a 2-2 tie in the teams’ first of two meetings before a lively crowd.
Randolph looked like the better team in the early going, with better passing from its forwards, but Morristown-Beard turned up its physical approach to even things out in the middle of the period. Still, it was Randolph that got on top at the 9:32 mark. Michael Turner’s pass deflected through two Crimson defensemen at the blue line, and Nick Generale had a semi-breakaway on the right face-off circle. Generale buried a wrist shot to the top left corner, beating George stick-side for a 1-0 lead. Randolph doubled its lead a minute later, as freshman forward Robert Kral fed the smallest player on the ice, freshman defenseman Kyle Krannich, at the blue line. Krannich whipped in a wrist shot that sailed through traffic and through the legs of George. The site of senior captain and defense partner Tony Rossi lifting Krannich in midair in celebration was one of the most enjoyable of the night.
It was a different Morristown-Beard team in the second period, however, as the Crimson opened on the power play and carried its momentum and physical play into even-strength action. The breakthrough came at the 3:39 mark. Randolph goalie saved a wide-open shot from Patrick Yannotta in the slot, but Samuel Altiero was first to the rebound and whipped it through Finnerty’s legs to make it 2-1. The game was tied 42 seconds later, as Andrew Balysky broke in on the left side of a three-on-one break, and Finnerty could not hold his left-circle wrister.
Randolph responded right away, however, and things heated up at the six-minute mark as Randolph put pressure on and crashed the net. Both crowds were up in arms as George went down, but play continued as normal. George was busy for the rest of the period, but did not crack despite a Randolph power play that saw the Rams hit the post.
The third period actually disappointed a bit after the end to end action of the first two, and the game saw more neutral-zone play, with both teams a bit cautious. George was under pressure again five minutes in, making one save to his left before sliding across the crease to make a circus save on the follow-up from the slot. Randolph continued the pressure, while Morristown-Beard seemed to rely on odd-man rushes. The Crimson increased their pressure in the final four minutes, only to get called for a penalty with 1:42 remaining. Randolph could do little with its power play, however, and the teams shared the points. The teams meet again Feb. 7 at Mennen Arena.
Player of the Game: Alexander George (MB)
Don Bosco Prep 4, Delbarton 2
I got to Bridgewater a touch late, but still saw almost all of the action. First-period play was fairly even, although Delbarton had more consistent offensive-zone possession, but Don Bosco Prep took over midway through the period. After a battle for the puck in the right corner, Rob Grudzinski found a loose puck on the right side and snapped it by goalie Tyler Deieso from a bad angle for a 1-0 Bosco lead. The Ironmen were content from there to simply clear the zone and prevent Delbarton scoring opportunities with physical play, and it paid off at the 12:44 mark. The puck was thrown in front from the right corner and after Deieso failed to control the rebound, it was scrambled home for a 2-0 lead. Overall in the first period, Delbarton had the better of possession but Bosco had the better chances.
It looked like curtains for the Green Wave partway through the second period when the Ironmen converted on their second power play opportunity. After setting up behind the net, Delbarton failed to pick up defenseman Brendan Reich cutting in from the slot, and he one-timed a good feed past Deieso up high. Delbarton head coach Bruce Shatel responded by returning to last year’s first line by adding sophomore Mike Del Mauro to the lethal combination of seniors Dale Reinhardt and Tim Campbell. The reunited line had a goal within 15 seconds, as Reinhardt sealed off two defenders at the red line to set up Campbell for a two-on-one. Campbell waited for Del Mauro and fired a pass to the back post where the sophomore jammed it home to make it a 3-1 game.
Delbarton lost momentum two minutes later, however, as despite bickering most of the night about line changes, Bosco got its first line against Delbarton’s third line in an offensive-zone face-off. Ironman forward Bobby Kramer found room in the high slot to wrist a shot through traffic, and it escaped Deieso as he saw it late. Delbarton remained in the game at the 11:37 mark on the power play. Reinhardt broke out before finding Campbell at center-ice, and Campbell slalomed through and around two Bosco defenders before beating Ironman goalie Mike Stoffel top shelf on a great individual effort.
The Green Wave thought it was back to within a goal with a minute remaining in the period on a scrum in the crease, but the puck had not gone in and the Green Wave never truly recovered. Stoffel was excellent all night, highlighted by a showy glove save on a Reinhardt shorthanded attempt four minutes into the third period. Delbarton never really threatened after that, and Don Bosco skated away with an impressive road win. The most telling statistic was probably third-period shots, as Delbarton had just three on goal in the final stanza despite being down two goals.
Player of the Game: Mike Stoffel (DBP)
Morristown-Beard
2, Randolph 2
Morristown-Beard 0 2 0
- 2
Randolph 2 0 0 - 2
Morristown-Beard 6 12
8 - 26
Randolph 11 13 13 - 37
9:32
Ran #5 Nick Generale (#24 Michael
Turner, #22 Ricky Roma)
10:41
Ran #3 Kyle Krannich (#9 Robert Kral)
3:39
MB #9 Samuel Altiero (#10 Patrick
Yannotta, #6 Christopher Adams)
4:21
MB #22 Andrew Balysky (#5 Matthew
Kruvant)
None
Morristown-Beard
0-2
Randolph
0-3
#35
Alexander George (MB) 37-35
#31
Kyle Finnerty (Ran) 26-24
Don
Bosco Prep 4, Delbarton 2
Don
Bosco Prep 2 2
0 - 4
Delbarton 0 2 0 - 2
Don
Bosco Prep 5 6 6 - 17
Delbarton
9 10 3 - 22
7:27
DBP #4 Rob Grudzinski
12:44
DBP
6:29
DBP (pp)#7 Brendan Reich
6:44
Del #13 Mike Del Mauro (#9 Tim
Campbell, #11 Dale Reinhardt)
8:48
DBP #20 Bobby Kramer
11:37
Del (pp)#9 Tim Campbell (#11 Dale Reinhardt, #27 Ned Crotty)
None
Don
Bosco Prep 1-3
Delbarton
1-2
#60
Mike Stoffel (DBP) 22-20
#1
Tyler Deieso (Del) 17-13