Quigley Edges Indiana in Double OT Thriller to Win PIHL Open Cup

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 9, 2012 | 10:29 AM

The Open Cup classification saved their best for last. Nick Santiago scored 34 seconds into the second overtime, propelling Quigley to a 5-4 win over Indiana in the Open Cup Championship at Island Sports Center on Thursday night. 

The Spartans, who were the #1 seeded team in the Nailers Cup, overcame a two-goal deficit behind 4 goals by Troy Emig, winning their second Open Cup title in four years in a game that was delayed over 30 minutes because an official had transportation issues and could not make it to the arena.

A busy first period for the two-man officiating crew saw five goals and six penalties. After Indiana's PJ Kuta scored less than two minutes into the game,

Emig would respond, tying the game at the 3:00 mark. However, Indiana would take over, scoring two goals in 39 seconds, as TJ Petro and Kuta would net their 2nd and 5th goals of the postseason respectively, making it 3-1 Indiana. 

Emig would score again though, putting in a rebound on his own shot at the 13:36 and cutting Indiana's lead to 3-2 after one period of play.

Emig would see hats 8:21 into the 2nd period, as he would put home a game-tying backhander on a breakaway off of a terrific pass from Doug Simon, who had three assists for the Spartans.

But Emig wasn't done. He would give Quigley their first lead at 10:24 for the 3rd period, tapping home a Nick Santiago shot that trickled through the pads of Indiana goalie Austin Moody and stopped right on the goal line before Emig could put it home.

With the Cup in sight, Quigley's Kristian Skogsholm would take a detrimental "hit from behind" penalty that would have a 10 minute misconduct penalty tacked on. It was the opening that Indiana needed.

Patrick Hunter, frustrated offensively all night, would put home a blast from the blue line, evening the game at 4-4. However, it was Hunter who, with all the momentum on Indiana's side, would take unsportsmanlike conduct and misconduct penalties with 2:10 left, taking away the Little Indians' chance to capitalize.

After a 10-minute first overtime that produced nothing, the two teams would go to a second overtime frame. Quigley would attack off the draw, as Simon would feed a saucer pass across the slot to an open Santiago, who buried the puck into an open net at 0:34, giving the Spartans the 5-4 victory.

Quigley, who won the Open Cup in 2009, only has two players (Simon and Kyle Anthony) on the roster from that Championship squad. Emig, who finished the season as the 3rd leading scorer on Quigley (behind Simon and Santiago) but 8th leading scorer in the Open Class would finish this postseason tied with Simon with 9 goals. That trio accounted for every Spartan point on the night. Simon, who notched 89 points (1st in Open Class) this regular season, would finish the playoffs with 17 points in four games. 

Quigley finishes the year at 20-3-1, including wins in the Nailers and Open Cup Championship games. Indiana's year comes to an end at 18-6-0 and a Chiefs Cup Championship.

Score By Period
Q: 2-1-1-0-1=5
I: 3-0-1-0-0=4

Scoring Summary
1st Period
Indiana – PJ Kuta (power play) (unassisted) , 1:58
Quigley – Troy Emig (Doug Simon) , 3:00
Indiana – TJ Petro (power play) (Tyler Fleming) , 10:23
Indiana – PJ Kuta (2) (unassisted) , 11:02
Quigley – Troy Emig (2) (unassisted) , 13:36
2nd Period
Quigley – Troy Emig (3) (Doug Simon) , 8:21
3rd Period
Quigley – Troy Emig (4) (NicK Santiago) , 10:34
Indiana – Patrick Hunter (power play) (Noah Moody) , 11:55
1st Overtime
NO SCORING
2nd Overtime
Quigley – Nick Santiago (Troy Emig, Doug Simon) , 0:34

Shots By Period
Q: 8-7-9-9-2=35
I: 18-18-14-3-0=53

MSA Three Stars
1. Troy Emig (Quigley)- 4G, A
2. Nick Santiago (Quigley)- GWG, A
3. PJ Kuta (Indiana)- 2G

Mount Lebanon Ice Arena Play of the Game
Nick Santiago's goal at 0:34 of the 2nd overtime on assists from Troy Emig and primarily from Doug Simon, giving Quigley their second Open Class Championship in four years. Santiago, only a junior, had 7 goals and 7 assists in the postseason, to go along with 71 regular season points, third-most in the Open Class. His overtime goal was his 9th game winning goal this season.

Tags: Indiana