BOURNE – Alas, the postseason last just 45 minutes for the #10-seeded Cape Cod Tech/Cape Cod Academy boys’ ice hockey team.
Staging what many would consider a major upset, the 8-11-1 Attleboro High Bombardiers — seeded last at #23 in the MIAA Division 3 South Sectional boys’ hockey pairings – ousted the Crusaders, 4-1, at the Gallo Ice Arena yesterday afternoon.
Cape Tech/Cape Cod Academy’s Danny Crossen pounded several shots on goal yesterday afternoon but Attleboro’s Tim Gile proved too agile in the Blue Bomardiers’ 4-1 win. The Cruasders were eliminated from the postseason with the loss.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports
The Crusaders, who finished at 13-8 after the loss, nevertheless came out flying when Zach Vaughan stole the puck from in between three Attleboro players and, all alone in enemy territory, unchained a vicious wrist shot that froze Attleboro goalie Tim Gile for a quick, 1-0 lead.
Vaughan’s goal came unassisted at the 12:15 mark of the first period, just 2:45 into the affair.
Unfortunately, that would be all the Cape Tech/CCA could muster as Gile staved off shot-upon-shot-upon shot for the remainder of the game: 42:15 of shutout goaltending to be precise. Gile made 30 saves (31 shots on goal) in what can only be deemed a superlative effort.
His teammates did not let him down on the other end.
Forward Ryan Girouard made certain of that. Just over seven minutes after Vaughan made it 1-0 for Tech, Girouard made it 1-1 and even though the Crusaders repeatedly attacked Gile’s crease, it was of little avail. Cape Tech/CCA outshot the Blue Bombardiers in the first frame, 12-8.
The first frame ended at a 1-1 draw.
But that would be the end for the Crusader boys. At the 13:08 mark of the second frame, as the Attleboro forechecking took on a bruising tone, and just as a power play was coming to an end for the boys in blue, Seth Lombardi took a slap shot from the blue line for a 2-1 lead that would not be relinquished. The goal was assisted by co-captain Dominic Bartnikowski.
Cape Tech/Cape Cod Academy’s Zach Vaughan is congratulated for his first period goal yesterday at the Gallo Ice Arena, but that was all the Cruasders could muster in a 4-1 tourney loss to Attleboro.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports
Still, Cape Tech/CCA battled to keep it at 2-1 until the third period.
Keagin Larkin would make sure that his Blue Bombardiers would not be challenged again.
Larkin scored the first of his two, third-period goals at the 13:42 mark (assisted by Girouard and Dylan Wallace) for a 3-1 lead and just over 7:00 minutes later would make it a 4-1 game (assisted by Girouard).
With 5:04 left, Cape Tech/CCA took a time out but no strategy could really help overcome the bone-jarring hits the Crusader boys sustained or the depth of the surprisingly quick Bombardiers.
Attleboro’s Ben Chomyszak, also a co-captain, played exceptionally well. Cape Tech/CCA’s Cole Therrien and Danny Crossen also played well throughout.
— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm
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