CAN'T CLIMB THE HILL - NJSIAA Ice Hockey: Watchung Hills 3, Brick Mem. 1

By Bob Badders - Senior Staff Writer

    MORRIS TOWNSHIP -- It was late in the second period when Anthony LoBianco raised his arms thinking he had tied the game at two. Nope. Then it was Erik Talty who had his stick high in the air after watching his shot go in and out of the goal late in the third period. No cigar this time either.
    Brick Memorial is still looking back on the goals that never were after its 3-1 loss to Watchung Hills in the semifinals of the NJSIAA Public A Tournament at Mennen Arena on Saturday. A Sean Chafe goal tied the score at one in the second period for the Mustangs, but consecutive goals by Warriors senior Mike Lundberg, including a back-breaking short-handed goal late in period No. 2, ended Brick Memorial's surprisingly deep and successful 2008 season.
    "Obviously a couple of bounces just didn't go our way," Talty said. "I thought my one was in for sure but there's nothing you can do about it."
    The two goals that were waived off were clearly a factor in the Mustangs being eliminated from the state playoffs, but head coach Chip Bruce knew the officiating wasn't to blame for the loss. The Mustangs made their share of mistakes that led to the Warriors' goals and were also highly ineffective on the power play.
    "Having a goal called back and then another one that was pretty clear to us that went in not count definitely took some steam out of us," Bruce said. "But we made mistakes. I don't think our passing game was on and we didn't have the poise that we usually do."
    "We probably would have been better off playing 5-on-5," said Talty of the Mustangs' power play. "We weren't passing well or doing the things we usually do. Big games are won and lost on the power play and we didn't do a good job in this game."
    For Watchung Hills, its trip to the final, where it will face the winner of Sunday's game between Randolph and Ridge (2 p.m., Mennen Arena), is the step the Warriors were looking to take after making it to the quarterfinals of the Public Tournament last season.
    "It's very exciting," Lundberg said. "I never imagined freshman year that we would be this good. We won the Kelly Cup (Central Conference, Blue Division) and now to be here we're ecstatic."
    Lundberg had an active an aggressive game for the Warriors, and along with teammate Alex Kong was the best skater on the ice. He set up Kong's goal that put Watchung Hills up 1-0 in the first period when he circled around the net on a rush and fed the trailer in the slot. Goaltender Dan Schroeder also played an important role with 22 saves to follow up his 35-save performance against Morris Knolls in the quarterfinals. One of his best stops and probably his most important came when Jon Bartolomei broke loose on a breakaway with under a minute left in the first period. Bartolomei made a move to his backhand but Schroeder was able to slide to his left and get a glove on the shot to deflect it into the corner.
    "We have a lot of confidence in him," said Lundberg of his junior goalie. "We know if there's a 2-on-1 or a breakaway he's going to make the save."
    The Mustangs had the edge in shots (10-5) and a slight territorial advantage in the first period, but couldn't crack Schroeder. Watchung Hills played its counter-attack game and used the speed through the neutral zone of Kong and Lundberg to create chances. The Warriors finished with just 16 shots, but made sure most of them were quality scoring opportunities.
    "We made our shots count and that's all that matters," Lundberg said.
    Brick Memorial finally beat Schroeder on Chafe's goal at 5:49 of the second period. Goaltender Mike Vincent started the play by making a poke-check save on Lundberg and then stopping Kong on the rebound. At the other end, Bartolomei worked the puck behind the net and centered it to Chafe, who kicked the puck to his stick and scored through the legs of Schroeder.
    Just over a minute later, a flurry of chances for Brick Memorial seemed to result in LoBianco pushing a loose puck across the goal line. One official signaled goal, but the other waved the goal off.
    If the Mustangs weren't down after having the would-be tying goal called back, then they were surely reeling after Lundberg gave the Warriors the lead for good at 11:37 of the second period. Brick Memorial defenseman Mike Spinelli intercepted a centering pass and went to clear the puck off the glass. But Lundberg was able to knock it down with his glove and catch everybody out of position. He moved around a pokecheck attempt by Vincent and shot high over the sprawling goaltender for a 2-1 lead.
    With the Mustangs still out-chancing the Warriors, coming back from a one-goal deficit didn't seem like a tall task for a young but headstrong Brick Memorial squad. But when Lundberg scored while Watchung Hills was shorthanded, however, it didn't just let the air out of the Mustangs' balloon, it pretty much popped it. Kong took control of a loose puck along the boards in his own end and threw an ally-oop pass ahead to Lundberg. The senior was able to race down the left side with only Talty to beat. He put on the breaks and cut to the inside, and while falling down and also trying to avoid the backcheck of defenseman Thomas Lindquist, was able to slide the puck through Vincent's legs.
    "That was a momentum changer," Lundberg said. "I wanted to come out and put a couple in during the second period and I'm just really glad I was able to do that."
    Even as he was falling down Lundberg knew he had a good chance to score.
    "I was trying to drive around the guy and he got into my skates," he said. "I just focused on the puck and slid it in."
    Not generating chances on its power play was bad enough for Brick Memorial, but to allow a goal at such a crucial moment of the game had the Mustangs hurting heading into the second intermission.
    "Down 2-1 we still felt okay but that third one," Talty said, "that one really put us down."
    Late in the third period the Mustangs executed their best power play of the game, but still couldn't cash in because of what appeared to be a blatant missed goal by the officiating crew. Talty took a shot from the right face-off circle that video evidence suggests hit off the padded middle post inside of the net and caromed out. The motion of the puck after it hit made it obvious it did not hit off the goaltender and there was also the lack of the defining 'clang' sound made when a puck strikes the post or crossbar.
    "I thought it was in," said Talty, who put his hands on his head in disbelief after no goal was signaled. "I hit about three posts in the game too. We were just unlucky."
    If there is good news about Brick Memorial it is that the future is extremely bright. The Mustangs will just lose forwards Chris LaMagra and Sean Donald to graduation and will retain a core group that includes a sturdy defensive unit and Vincent in net.
    "It obviously hurts now," Bruce said. "But in the long run this will help us see what it takes to get this far and it will fuel them. I'm just proud of my guys for working hard and playing hard all season."

Box Score

Brick Memorial (13-7-3)  0 1 0 - 1
Watchung Hills (22-4-2)  1 2 0 - 3

Scoring - First period: (WH) Alex Kong (Mike Lundberg) 8:26; Second period: (BM) Sean Chafe (Jon Bartolomei) 5:49; (WH) Mike Lundberg (Paul Kim) 11:37; (WH) Mike Lundberg (Alex Kong) 12:56 (SH).
Saves: (BM) Mike Vincent 13; (WH) Dan Schroeder 22.
Shots: Brick Memorial 23-16.

E-mail: badders@digitalsports.com