BAGAROZY NETS GAME WINNER IN OVERTIME

Monday, January 17, 2011

FOLLOWING A TOUGH LOSS THE NIGHT BEFORE AGAINST CAL, PSU ALTOONA WOULD FACE-OFF AGAINST THE UPJ ICECATS. THE LIONS WOULD STRIKE FIRST ON POWERPLAY GOALS BY FRESHMAN J.R. GEARHART AND SOPHOMORE GREG JOHNSON. EVERYTHING SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GOING THE LIONS WAY, UNTIL UPJ WOULD SCORE THE NEXT FOUR GOALS, AND HELD A 4-2 LEAD AFTER 2 PERIODS. THE LIONS CONTINUED TO PEPPER UPJ GOALTENDER DAVE DUNKLEBERGER WITH SHOTS, BUT THE VETERAN GOALIE APPEARED TO BE MORE THAN UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. THE LIONS APPEARED SLUGGISH, 180 DEGREE TURNAROUND FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE. FRUSTRATION BEGAN TO SET IN AS TIME TICKED AWAY IN THE THIRD PERIOD. THEN WITH APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES TO PLAY, SENIOR CAPTAIN JOE MCGOLDRICK, BROUGHT THE LIONS TO WITHIN ONE GOAL ON AN ASSIST FROM JAMSEY ROSSI AND GREG JOHNSON. THERE COMES A TIME IN EVERY COACHES CAREER IF HE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT PULL THE GOALTENDER FOR THE EXTRA ATTACKER. HISTORY IS IN THE FAVOR OF NOT PULLING THE GOALIE, FOR THE CHANCES OF SUCCESS ARE LIMITED. HOWEVER, WITH FORTY-FIVE SECONDS LEFT, COACH LANTZ DECIDED TO PULL CHRIS RYAN, AND ANDREW PLATE WOULD DELIVER THE GAME TYING GOAL WITH TWENTY NINE SECONDS LEFT ON ASSISTS FROM WILL GAFFNEY AND GREG JOHNSON. AT THE END OF REGULATION, COINCIDENTAL PENALTIES WERE CALLED AND THE TEAMS WOULD HAVE TO SKATE 3 ON 3. THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT SITUATION FOR A LIONS TEAM BUILT WITH SPEED. THEN WITH THREE MINUTES REMAINING IN OT, SOPHOMORE TYLER BAGAROZY WOULD FLIP THE PUCK OVER FALLEN GOALTENDER DUNKLEBERGER FOR THE WIN. COACH LANTZ SAID "DUNKLEBERGER PLAYED OUTSTANDING FOR SIXTY THREE MINUTES, AND MADE ONE COSTLY MISTAKE. FROM OUR ANGLE I ACTUALLY THOUGHT TYLER OVER SHOT THE EMPTY NET, WHERE DUNKLEBERGER ONCE STOOD." GREG JOHNSON WOULD END THE GAME WITH A GOAL AND THREE ASSISTS AND FRESHMAN JAMSEY ROSSI WOULD HAVE FOUR ASSISTS.