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February 25, 2009

Saranac, B'town advance in hockey

Beekmantown turns back upset-minded Lake Placid

By NICK ST. DENIS

PLATTSBURGH — All season long, Champlain Valley Athletic Conference boys' hockey coaches have said that on any given night, any team can beat any other team.

Tuesday night's conference quarterfinal-round action proved that statement to be more than just coach-speak, as Saranac left Saranac Lake with a 3-2 double-overtime victory, and Beekmantown was pushed to a low-scoring 3-1 win over Lake Placid.

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The Blue Bombers were outshot 36-11 in the loss, but their defense kept the team within a score for most of the game.

"Their goalie played real well, and their defense got sticks on pucks and lots of bodies in front of the net," Beekmantown head coach Bill Bechard said. "But for 45 minutes, we skated with good intensity."

The Eagles got off to a fast start, scoring twice in a span of a minute and a half in the first period. Kyle Mathieu tallied first on a low shot from the slot, and Frank Buksa quickly put the team up by two with a wrist shot at the blue line.

However, Beekmantown failed to convert on any opportunities in the second period, and a Sean Dennin score at 5:27 in the third period made it a one-goal game.

"I told the team that all it could take is one shot or bounce and they're (Lake Placid) back in it," Bechard said. "Fortunately, we settled down quickly, moved the puck out of the zone and didn't start just flinging it around."

Brett Palmer regained Beekmantown's two-goal lead later in the period, knocking in a nice behind-the-net feed from Mathieu. Shamus Foster, Nathan Racine and Jason Baker also recorded assists for the Eagles, and Evan Knox tallied the lone helper for the Blue Bombers.

Beekmantown will face Plattsburgh High 7 p.m. Thursday at the PSU Field House in the semifinal round.

"Two local teams going head-to-head — I'm looking forward to it," Bechard said. "Both teams are deep so I don't think it's going to be a question of wearing down."

Saranac 3
Saranac Lake 2 (2 OT)

SARANAC LAKE — The Chiefs pulled off a double-overtime victory on the road after giving up the two-goal lead they held in the first.

Jordan Stephney scored on a wrist shot outside at the top of the circle, taking advantage of his team's screen on Saranac Lake goaltender Dana Tarantelli and sending Saranac to the semifinal round against Northeastern Clinton Friday.

"I knew it was going to be a one-goal game," Saranac Lake head coach Will Ellsworth said. "It could've went either way, with or without a couple of posts and a couple of bounces."

Saranac's Kevin Kurz and Stephney each found the back of the net in the first period.

Neither team scored for most of the second period until Brandon Patraw finally got the Red Storm on the board at 11:03.

"We overcame some adversity early in the game," Ellsworth said. "Two of our guys got injured in the first period and had to be taken out. We had to shuffle lines and move defensemen early on."

Patraw netted his second score of the night in the third to knot the game at two, and the teams fought through a 7:30 overtime period without a score.

However, Stephney tallied the game-winner late in the second extra stanza.

The Red Storm finish the season at 11-11-3.

"Overall, I'm very pleased with our work ethic, we had no distractions this year," Ellsworth said. "I was proud of the way they carried themselves."

—

Beekmantown 3, Lake Placid 1

Lake Placid001—1

Beekmantown201—3

First period- 1, B, Mathieu (Racine), 2:19. 2, B, Buksa (Baker), 3:40.

Second period- No scoring.

Third period- 3, LP, Dennin (Knox), 5:27. 4, B, Palmer (Mathieu, Foster), 10:58.

Shots by period:

Lake Placid614—11

Beekmantown111612—36

Saves: Foster, B; 10. Murphy, LP; 36.

Saranac 3, Saranac Lake 2 (2OT)

Saranac20001—3

Saranac Lake01100—2

First period- 1, Sar, Kurz (Morris) 5:37. 2, Sar, Stephney (J. Houle ) 7:57

Second period- 3, SL, Patraw (Darrah, McDougall), 11:03.

Third period- Patraw (Tedford) 6:53

First overtime- No scoring.

Second overtime- Stephney, 4:29.

Saves: Tarantelli, SL; 26. Tenbuuren, Sar; 26.

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