Survive and Advance
Rivermen edge Brockport in OT, will play for national title this afternoon
GPCIHL April 9th, 2006 at 5:00AM June 13th, 2008 1:40AM
MORRISVILLE, N.C. - The UMSL Rivermen were pushed to the brink in the national semifinals by a gritty SUNY Brockport squad this morning. But thanks to Adam Clarke's game winner at 7:46 of overtime, UMSL (28-3-1) edged the Golden Eagles 2-1, and will move on to the NCRHA Div. II national championship game today at 12:45 pm.
Brockport goaltender Kyle Shrauger nearly buoyed his team to a mild upset that would have set up an all-ECRHA final. But UMSL's Thomas Ames won the battle between arguably the two best goaltenders in the nation, and gave his team a chance to play for its second national championship in three years, and its third since 1998.
After Jake Shepard gave the Rivermen a 1-0 lead 6:29 into the game, there would be no scoring for exactly 20 minutes of game time. Brockport's Ryan Marvin tied the score at 2:29 of the third, setting up the classic finish.
Shepard controlled the puck in the right-wing corner, and slid a centering pass to Ben Lambert, whose one-timer was deflected into the slot onto Clarke's stick. The playoff-savvy Clarke snapped a no-doubt wrister over Shrauger's left pad, igniting a brief-but-wild celebration.
UMSL will try to complete its dream season later today. The game can be heard at http://www.ibsu.net starting at 12:45 pm EST.
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James Lambert