Carmel Cruises to Victories over Nyack, Brewster

CARMEL—With wins over Nyack/ Tappan Zee and Brewster last week, the Carmel High ice hockey team has bounced back from an 0-3 start and now stands at 3-4 on the season. The 5-3 victory over Brewster improved their league record to 2-4.

HOCKEY
CARMEL	4
Nyack 2
CARMEL	5
BREWSTER 3

Bears keeper Heather Daley gets ready to attempt a save as Carmel’s Tom Jezic (22) approaches. JACLYN IAROssI In their game Sunday night against Nyack, the Rams overcame eight penalties to pull out a 4-2 victory at the Brewster Ice Arena.

“It was just kind of a lackadaisical performance,” said coach Tom Domicoli. “We went back to the things that we're not supposed to do, taking penalties. The first two periods we had six penalties, it's a good thing we came out strong in the third period, and Jackie Barnes saved us as usual.”

Brewster’s Mike Miller and Carmel’s Jackie Barnes take a face-off in JACLYN IAROssI Barnes, a sophomore, played one his best games of the season, killing penalties and scoring three goals to carry his team. Barnes started the scoring just over two minutes into the game, off of a great pass from junior Josh Serpe to convert a 2 on 1 break. Serpe also assisted on Barnes' third goal and added a goal of his own to provide the Rams with some insurance in the closing minutes With the Rams down a man, Nyack of the game. After Barnes's early goal neither team was able to score for the remainder of the period. Nyack tied the game late in the second after the Rams had sent a stream of players to the penalty box. Playing a man up for most of the period, Nyack finally capitalized on the Rams undisciplined play late in the second. won an offensive zone faceoff and set up a one-timer from the point to beat senior Marc Glaviano. The score remained tied early into the third period when the Rams took yet another penalty.

With his team once again down a man, Barnes took a pass from Serpe and sped past the lone Nyack defenseman to score his second goal of the game.

“He's tough, he's hard to line up,” Domicoli said of Barnes. “He's hard to defend, he can handle the puck well, and shoot the puck well. Tonight he saved us.”

Thirty seconds after Barnes had given the Rams the lead, Nyack responded with another power-play goal, this one fired through a screen down low. It would be the last time Nyack would score against Glaviano, who had another strong performance in net, finishing with 30 saves.

Minutes after having an apparent goal disallowed, Barnes broke in alone on Nyack goaltender Nick Franco and put his team up for good with his third goal of the game. Serpe's goal three minutes later finished the scoring.

“We always had a man in the box tonight, we must have had 7 or 8 penalties, easily,” said Domicoli. “And if you have that many penalties you're lucky to come away with a win. If we keep doing that it's gonna kill us, we'll be in trouble.”

In their game against Brewster, the Rams struggled in the opening period but escaped tied at one thanks to Glaviano's performance between the pipes. Glaviano finished the game with 39 saves, 16 of which came in the first period.

“Glaviano had some outstanding saves tonight, he was sharp from the beginning,” said Domicoli. “He kept us in it, then we started to turn it up a little bit.”

Brewster finally got one past Glaviano late in the period, when eighthgrader Sean Henderson knocked in a rebound following senior Mike Miller's shot.

In a period dominated by Brewster, the Rams responded quickly and tied the game just a minute and a half later. Senior Thomas Jezik worked the puck from behind the net before beating Brewster sophomore Heather Daley for the goal. Daley finished the game with 17 saves.

“In the past we haven't done that, once we get down and have to skate to catch up,” said Domicoli. “If it's one nothing, then it's two nothing, and we might as well just pack it in and go away. They responded well and they deserved to come away with this win today.”

With the score tied, the Rams played a much better second period, and led 3-1, thanks to two goals from senior Dylan Rattigan. The Rams held onto the two-goal lead until Brewster sophomore Matt Compo knocked in another rebound, this time off of a shot by sophomore Eric Dolce.

After failing to convert a penalty shot that would have restored his team's two-goal lead, Rattigan got his third goal of the game on a pass from senior Keith Maloney. Once again the Rams led by two, and once again the Bears responded.

With the clock winding down junior Matt Bentson capped off a hardworking shift with a goal, assisted by eight grader Joe Wegwerth. Just seconds after cutting the deficit to one, Bentson nearly tied the game but couldn't get the puck past Glaviano a second time.

Serpe added an empty net goal to close out the scoring and extend the Rams lead to 5-3.

“We played a little better tonight than we did in Pawling last Friday,” said Domicoli. “A little tight in the end, but I just like the way they played. We started the game well, played two solid periods to finish well.”

The Rams next game is Thursday January 7 at West Point against O'Neill