Knights Top Canisius

After besting the host Ithaca Little Red in the first round of the Caren Classic, the McQ Knights faced off against the Canisius Knights in the championship game on December 30. Canisius made it to the finals by winning a shootout against Baldwinsville, after the teams tied at two goals a piece in regulation time. The final started off grimly for McQuaid, with Canisius putting on a full court press, pinning McQ in their end for long stretches of the first five minutes of play. The McQuaid Knights responded with tight defensive play and strong net minding by freshman Brian Burns.

As the first period unfolded, McQuaid reversed the tables on Canisius and became more dominant. Of note was a clearing pass to senior forward Brent Sanderson on the left wing, who beat the defense, cut across the goal mouth but was thwarted by Canisius goalie Eric Terapacki, who made a pad save on the low shot to the far corner. Terapacki also stopped senior forward Adam Reask with a great glove save on a point blank shot. By the end of the first stanza, shots on goal favored McQuaid nine to six.

The second period began with a flourish of activity by Canisius, but quickly settled into concerted McQuaid attack on the Canisius goal. In order to re-focus his squad, the Canisius coach called a time out. Following that pause, Adam Reask took a center ice pass from junior forward James Sturnick and drove in one on one on the right wing. At the top of the circle, toe dragged the puck around the Canisius defenseman and shot five hole for a score.

On the ensuing face off, junior forward Alex Pautler drove down the right wing, passed back to senior forward Sean Knightly, whose low shot on goal was re-directed over Terapacki's glove hand by senior forward Patrick Gerrie. The two goals, scored 8 seconds apart, were not the two fastest goals scored by the Knights. The two fastest goals, at six seconds were accomplished by Mark Adkins, John Altier on December 15, 1981 against Batavia and on February 19. 2008, by Brent Sanderson and Nick Caton against Geneva/Waterloo.

Instead of collapsing, the Canisius Knights put on their own pyrotechnic show, forcing the play into the McQuaid end and scoring their own goal, just 38 seconds later, at 10:59, when Dylan Blujus beat Burns with a slap shot from just above the right face off circle, which Burns initially stopped, but ramped up his stick and in.

The third period became a real defensive battle, with good opportunities being dashed by strong defense on both sides. But, at 7:39, sophomore forward Sam Arazoza wheeled out of the right corner at the Canisius end to the top of the circle and beat the net minder, for his first high school goal. The McQuaid defense of Andy Lane, Nick Lisena, Kyle DePriest, Mike Filice, Ryan Sheridan, and Ethan Matteson held Canisius to no shots on goal in the third period. The McQ Knights outshot Canisius 23 to 14.