The Loss (Game 3)

The Short-Handed Goal.

Last night, the 2019 – 2020 NJ State Champions from Public A and Public B met at Mennen Arena, their second game in 3 days. The game was definitely different than the first game 5-5 tie, and Morris Knolls succeeded in getting their first win over Randoph since the 13th of February, 2017. The final score was 4 to 1.

And what was different?

For one thing, Morris Knolls captain, Jason Kwestel focused on defense and it made a big difference against Randolph’s power forwards. And another notable difference was the action during the power play. On Wednesday each team scored a goal in all five power plays (3 for Randolph and two for Knolls). Last night, the Rams captain Matt Cislo attempted to stop a Knolls clear by Eckoff and mishandled the puck at the Knolls blue line near their bench. Jake DiLoreto pounced on it and skated up ice and took a shot to his left while the Rams goalie Joe Yutsus was leaning to his right, Knolls went up 3 to 1. The goalie laid prone on the ice and that was that.

That one play meant that instead of scoring two goals on their two power plays last night, they gave up a short-handed goal. So that explains the three goal difference in the game 4-1. The first half of the game was dominated by Randolph, but Knolls opened the scoring with a little over two minutes in with an Andrew Ryan slap shot over the Rams goalie’s shoulder. Knolls went up 1 to 0. With 33 seconds remaining in the first, Ben Yurchuk took a Nick Gaynor pass and slapped it over Aidan Marvin’s shoulder to tie the score 1-1.

Half way through the second period the ice started to tilt in Knolls favor and Dylan Idland scored on a slap shot from the top of the face off circle over Joe Yutsus’ right shoulder Knolls up 2 to 1. The aforementioned DiLoreto goal put Knolls up 3 to 1 a little over one minute into the third and 4 minutes later Dylan Idland scored his second goal of the game with a laser from the face off spot over Yutsus’ right shoulder to close the scoring at 4-1.

Joe Yutsus faced 28 shots and Aidan Marvin faced 16, almost identical to Wednesday’s game when Yutsus faced 26 and Marvin 16.

For a description of the game , here is a quote from the live streaming commentators for last night’s game with 5 minutes left and the scoring done:

“Remember Randolph only dressed 13 skaters tonight and they just
recently put their third line out there, one of the few times in the game,
pretty much rolling a bench of 10 tonight. They are getting a little bit
fatigued against a team like Morris Knolls who runs a three line bench.
Both teams came out very strong, Morris Knolls came out a little more
physical.”

The Rams will be playing Chatham for the second game tonight at 6pm at Mennen Arena. The Rams won their first encounter 3 to 1 on January 30th.

STAY FOCUSED!!!
STAY SAFE!!!
FORECHECK!!!
DEFINITELY DON’T GET PENALIZED!!!

CORRECTION:
In the answer to the quiz an error in the date of the Devils Stanley Cup was 2000 not 2020, sorry! Only human you know.
And It’s Yutsus not Yustus!!!