Rowan Outlast Neumann In Wild Game
Andrew Amand Nets GWG in Final Minute
ECRHA October 27th, 2008 at 5:57AM October 28th, 2008 9:46PM
When you talk Neumann
College, Regional &
National Championships are at the top of the list. When you talk about Rowan University,
well there isn't much to talk about. Rowan is currently competing for the first
time in the NCRHA. If people didn't know much about Rowan before this game,
they opened up plenty of eyes.
Things got started fast for Rowan as Eric Jones hit Andrew Amand
with a breakout pass, springing him for a clean break and he made no mistake,
burying the puck behind the goalie for a 1-0 lead. He was not done though. A
few minutes later, Amand registered a shorthanded tally after picking the defenseman's
pocket and burying the shot just under the crossbar.
Sensing that things could quickly end up going south, Jon
Donohue made a nice pass, sending Steve Klenk in on a break and he beat the
goalie to the short side to cut the lead in half. Moments later, Brendan Scalley
fired home a rebound to restore the lead for Rowan at 3-1.
On the ensuing possession, Rowan took off on a 2 on 1 break.
Cameron Rowand fired a wicked wrist shot that went high and wide. The puck then
bounced out to center where Tom Lamont picked it up and set up Jim Dumont a
break and he made no mistake, brining Neumann back to 3-2. Less than a minute
later, Rowan turned the puck over behind the net and it found its way out in
front where Jon Donohue buried the puck and knotted the game at 3.
With about two minutes left in the first period, Rowan took
advantage of a Neumann penalty to take a 4-3 lead at the break. Rowan worked
the puck around the perimeter on the power play before Eric Jones sniped the
bottom corner of the net just past the outstretched leg of the Neumann goalie.
Neumann used a power play goal to tie the game up early in
the second period. With Cameron Rowand in the box for holding, William Giersbach
scored on a one-timer from the point. Neumann then used a turnover in Rowan's
zone to take the lead for the first time in the game. Tom Lamont scored on a
feed from Jim Dumont and Neumann lead 5-4. Twenty seconds later, Cameron Rowand
intercepted a Neumann breakout pass and fired a hard shot on net that just
barely trickled over the line and the game was tied back up at five all.
Neumann used goals by Dominic Mariotti and Danny Valenti on
rebound to build a 7-5 lead late in the second period. Rowan knew they couldn't
head to the intermission down by two goals or they would be in serious trouble.
With 14 seconds remaining in the period and Rowan on the power play, Matt
Grossi scored on a one-timer as Rowan moved the puck across the top of the
umbrella and set up the shot. Heading into the intermission, Neumann lead 7-6.
The third period started off slow as it became apparent that
the run and gun strategy wasn't going to secure a win for either team. Rowan
struck first. On the power play, Rowan turned the puck over and gave Neumann a 2
on 1 shorthanded. After a huge save, Rowan raced back down the rink and Eric
Jones scored his second goal on the night, beating the goalie stick side and
tied the score at 7-7.
Jon Donohue made the play that seemed to break Rowan's back
when he intercepted an outlet pass in the slot and roofed it just under the
cross bar for an 8-7 lead with under 3 minutes to go. However, Rowan used a
nice pass from Eric Jones in the corner to Cameron Rowand in the slot to tie
the game with 1:56 left.
With one minute to go in the game Andrew Amand finished off
the hat trick with a beautiful breakaway goal after beating the defense and beating
the goalie to give Rowan the 9-8 lead. Phillip DaSilva turned away one final chance with 20 seconds
to go before the puck was cleared and officially announced Rowan's arrival.
