CORTLAND – Each area high school ice hockey team bases their entire seasons on wanting to play on the last Monday night of February on the Syracuse Crunch’s home ice with a Section III championship at stake.
Christian Brothers Academy/Jamesville-DeWitt was on the brink of seeing those dreams dashed when, in the span of less than a minute of ice time, it saved itself and snatched a dramatic victory.
The comeback that produced the Brothers’ 4-3 overtime victory over Cortland-Homer in Tuesday night’s sectional Division I semifinal at the J.M. McDonald Sports Complex will long be remembered inside CBA/J-D circles.
A tense, back-and-forth battle between two sides who split their regular-season meetings had the Golden Eagles in front 3-2 thanks to a goal early in the third period.
With the clock running down in regulation, goaltender Ben Lovell was pulled for the extra skater. Going six-on-five, the Brothers kept the puck in Cortland-Homer’s end, looking for a breakthrough and protecting an empty net.
And with 14 seconds left, Ben Bristol Murray flicked a shot past Golden Eagles goalie Garret Clark, producing a surge of emotion on CBA/J-D’s side that lingered into the ensuing OT period.
Quickly, the Brothers claimed possession after the face-off, and mixing energy with focus, a series of passes set up Alex Binsack to find the net a mere 28 seconds into the extra period.
The quick, stunning conclusion ended a memorable evening of hockey where, after a scoreless first period, both sides struck twice in the second.
Bristol-Murray and Finn Wheeler earned CBA/J-D’s goals, with the Golden Eagles ultimately getting two from Mitch Riter and one from Hunter Everle to go out in front.
Lovell would finish with 15 saves and Clark had 20 saves. For the Brothers, Quinn Wimer had two assists, while Bristol-Murray and Binsack both had single assists, as did James Stanton and Jack Dement.
All of this brings CBA/J-D, on the 10th anniversary of its lone state title, into a sectional final next Monday at 5 p.m. against defending champion Skaneateles, who ripped Clinton 10-0 in the other semifinal.
Twice in the regular season, Lakers goalie Chad Lowe shut out the Brothers, by a 3-0 margin in December at Allyn Arena and again 4-0 in January at Nedrow. The third meeting will decide a championship.
