Rangers Prevent Gophers from Clinching Top Seed
MADISON, N.J. - Goucher, which entered the game in sole possession of first place in the Landmark Conference, dropped into a three-way tie for the top spot when the Gophers were handed an 11-10 loss by Drew this afternoon.
Rangers Prevent Gophers from Clinching Top Seed
Fourth Quarter Features Three Ties, Pair of Lead Changes
April 19, 2008
MADISON, N.J. - Goucher, which entered the game in sole possession of first place in the Landmark Conference, dropped into a three-way tie with Drew and Scranton for the top spot when the Gophers were handed an 11-10 loss by the Rangers this afternoon.
The Gophers spotted the Rangers (6-6, 4-1 Landmark) a 3-0 lead, but when Alex Boucher (North Wales, PA/Germantown Academy) tallied an unassisted goal with just :04 showing on the clock, Goucher trailed only 4-3 after one period.
The Gophers (9-4, 4-1 Landmark) produced goals on two of their five extra-man opportunities: a man-up goal by Alan Tiet (Aurora, CO/Smoky Hill) with 3:47 remaining in the first half created a 5-5 tie, which held up until an extra-man goal by Cooper Mazon (Littleton, CO/Mullen), snapped the deadlock 4:37 into the third quarter and put Goucher ahead for the first time.
There were three ties and the lead changed hands twice in the fourth period alone. Goucher took its final lead of the contest on an unassisted goal by Sam Fitzpatrick (Littleton, CO/Arapahoe) with 7:45 remaining. The Rangers pulled even at 10-10 on Jon Bucknam's unassisted goal with 5:17 left to play and regained the lead only :18 later on a goal by Robert Budziszewski.
The Gophers, who would have clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Landmark Conference championship tournament with a win, finished with a 51-39 advantage in shots, but goalkeepers Brad Mendelson, who played the first half, and Michael Celentano, who took over at the start of the third quarter, combined to make 32 saves for the Rangers. Austin Main (Berlin, MD/Stephen Decatur) went the distance in goal for Goucher and turned away 10 shots.