Meadville Wins D-II Title With OT Thriller Over Carrick

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | 9:38 PM

Meadville had been tormenting goalies all season long, as the Bulldogs averaged more than 10 goals per game in the regular season and the playoffs. It finally seemed that a goaltender had their number on Wednesday, though, as Carrick’s Nathan Norkevicus made save after save, many in spectacular fashion. In overtime, though, Meadville captain Jeff Millin capitalized on a turnover and roofed a shot past Norkevicus to give Meadville the 2-1 win, as the Bulldogs claimed their first Division 2 Championship at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township.

Top-seeded Meadville, which did not suffer a loss all season, peppered Norkevicus in the opening period, as the team fired 17 shots on net. The Bulldogs’ barrage resulted in a goal with just more than five minutes left in the first stanza, as Cody Passilla redirected Brandon Gregg’s slow shot from the point past the Cougars’ netminder.

Outshot 17-2 in the first, the No. 2 Cougars started the second frame with more intensity and pressure, as they played nearly even with Meadville for the first several minutes. As the period progressed, though, Meadville reestablished its dominance, outshooting Carrick 13-8. Both goalies stood tall between the pipes, though, as neither team lit the lamp in the second.

Trailing 1-0 and needing a spark heading into the third period, the Cougars capitalized on a fortuitous bounce. Just over two minutes in, Carrick’s top scorer Tyler Wolf had been knocked down to the ice behind the Meadville net, but found the puck on his stick after an errant pass by the Bulldogs. Wolf then dragged the puck to the slot, and elevated a backhand shot past Meadville goaltender Eddie Kaufman.

Carrick had several opportunities to take the lead later in the period, as the Cougars enjoyed three powerplays in the third. However, the Cougars rarely threatened, and Meadville actually had several glorious chances, including a 2-on-0 break shorthanded. Norkevicus made a spectacular pad save, though, and the contest went to overtime.

The extra frame began with 4-on-4 play with players in the box, but once the teams returned to full strength, Meadville continued to control the play. Just more than three minutes into the overtime, the Cougars committed a defensive zone turnover that Millin quickly deposited into the net for the winner.

For Meadville coach Jamie Plunkett, who won nine Penguins Cup titles and recorded his 1,000^th win earlier this season, his team’s tenacity was a deciding factor.

“A year ago we lost to these guys – same deal, their goaltender played great, stood on his head – and our kids got very frustrated and visibly you could see the frustration coming out. Tonight I thought they did a better job of controlling their emotions,” Plunkett detailed. “That helped us overcome that bad goal. Then we were able to just keep the pressure on and just keeping shooting the puck.”

In the defeat, Norkevicus made 41 saves, while Kaufman earned the win by making 13 shots.

For the third-consecutive year, the Cougars finish as the runner-up in Division 2, but their coach Matt Maurice applauded his team’s performance against the dominant opposition.

“I’m extremely proud of the way we played,” Maurice said. “We battled to the end, and sometimes the bounces just don’t go your way.”
 

Score By Period

Carrick             0 – 0 – 1 – 0 = 1
Meadville         1 – 0 – 0 – 1 = 2

Shots By Period

Carrick             2 – 8 – 4 – 0 = 14
Meadville         17 – 13 – 11 – 2 = 43

Scoring Summary

1^st Period

Meadville – Cody Passilla (Brandon Gregg) 11:56

2^nd Period

None

3^rd Period

Carrick – Tyler Wolf (unassisted) 2:16

Overtime

Meadville – Jeff Millin (Luke Triola) 3:19

Chatham University Three Stars

3. Cody Passilla (Meadville)

2. Nathan Norkevicus (Carrick)

1. Jeff Millin (Meadville)

Tags: Carrick, Meadville Boys Hockey