GreeleyJay Can’t Complete Comeback versus Cortlandt

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On Friday January 31, GreeleyJay faced the Cortlandt Rebels at the Brewster Ice Arena, and the teams treated the fans to some exciting hockey. Right down to the final possession, a last chance had the game still in doubt, and GreeleyJay was teed up to tip the balance at point blank

Unfortunately, the shot went high, and Cortlandt escaped with a 5-4 victory.

GreeleyJay did get on the board first, though. Brendan Asta broke free of the morass and made easy work of Sean Mansfield for a 1-0 lead.

In at 15:49, GreeleyJay kept the pressure on. Front and center, Riley McMahon of John Jay put a shot on goal and so did Brandon Foulks at 11:05.

Good work, Cortlandt would do all the damage to the scoreboard over the next 20 minutes. The Rebels got started when Michael Alfinito took a pass from the corner and evened the game at one at 10:09.

Still, GreeleyJay maintained control on the Cortlandt side of the ice. First Asta was quick on a wrist shot on goal, and then coming across from the boards, he put Mansfield on notice again with 7:28 left in the first.

Not net, a GreeleyJay two on one at 4:44 was the same, and fate tempted, fortunes turned on the power play. Foulks was whistled for tripping, and Cortlandt cashed when Aidan Dzubak made it 2-1 at 2:49.

Undeterred, GreeleyJay continued about their business and the shots kept coming. A backhander out front by Ryan Marcus almost tied the knot with a minute to go, but GreeleyJay would get to skate into the second period on the power play.

No shortage of fire power, the attack gave Cortlandt a run for their money, and a drop pass to Marcus looked like cold hard cash. Unfortunately another save was made, and moments later, GreeleyJay was left with less than zero for their efforts. Nate Garofolo caught Jake DiBenedetto for a breakaway, and Cortlandt now led 3-1.

Still, GreeleyJay didn’t seem to notice the score. The offense kept the puck in the Cortlandt zone, and the near misses were aplenty.

Always a bad sign in hockey, Cortlandt obliged the omen and did so with the same demons. Only in reverse, Garofolo took the lead pass from DiBenedetto, and Cortlandt had a three goal lead at 7:51.

Of course, GreeleyJay didn’t miss a beat, and the hard work paid off this time. Frank Epstein hit Brody Stogsdill from behind the net at 6:33, and the Quaker cut the lead in half.

No let down, GreeleyJay continued to play their game, and once again, they would head into the next period on the power play. Making good this time, the Jay part of the program got top billing. Asta to James DeNoia, the wrist shot was away, and with plenty of traffic out front, a one goal game came due at 16:09.

Now it was Cortlandt that was unfazed, and the Rebels relied on the usual suspects. Garofolo to DiBenedetto, the two goal lead was back, and Cortlandt had 14 minutes to kill.

And two minutes later, things got really dire for GreeleyJay. Sebastian Marinucci of John Jay got hit with a five minute slash, and if not bad enough, GreeleyJay found themselves down two men for two full minutes.

Even so, Johnny Marlatt refused to give in. He kept the puck out of the net, and his team remained in the game.

Taking respite on the other end, Mansfield did not lose his edge. Twice he stopped furious scrums in the crease, so with the seconds dwindling away, GreeleyJay called for time.

1:58 remaining, the regroup put the game on edge when Asta put the puck out front. Foulks got there first and stuffed in the goal.

Of course, GreeleyJay pulled the goalie, and chaos ensued in the Cortlandt zone. Pucks flying wide and high, a face off with 15.8 seconds told the tale when the last best chance didn’t connect.