Raiders upset B-R, but finish second
By: Rudy Brandl
A combination of weary legs and missing key players were the only things that could stop the Hillsborough High ice hockey team in last week’s Somerset County Tournament at Bridgewater Sports Arena.
After opening the SCT with a comfortable 5-1 triumph over Pingry, the Raiders (8-1) made a significant statement by defeating top-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan in a thrilling 1-0 semifinal game. Less than 24 hours later, Hillsborough simply didn’t have enough energy left to finish the job and Montgomery won the county championship with a 1-0 victory.
"It wasn’t a question of ability, it was more a question of legs," HHS head coach Jeff Kampf said after his club lost for the first time as a varsity team. "We just didn’t really have the legs."
Kampf had shortened his bench in the much-anticipated semifinal game vs. B-R, the fourth-ranked team in the state. The Raiders had to dig deep and play extremely hard for three full periods for the first time all season. Coming back to play the same type of game the next day was a tall order.
"We were emotionally drained," Kampf said. "That semifinal was such an incredible game. We were only rolling with two lines. That just wore them down. It was pressure until the last second and the kids never recovered."
To make matters worse, Hillsborough played the SCT final without two of its top players and scorers Michael Lysyj and Matt Janos. Lysyj had a prior club team commitment and Janos sat out with a concussion.
"We missed those guys because of their ability, but what we really missed was their legs," Kampf said. "That would have given us two more guys."
"Everyone was exhausted and we were missing a couple kids," HHS goaltender Eric Visnovsky said. "That really hurt."
Visnovsky was the primary reason the Raiders reached the championship game. The Raider goaltender picked the perfect time to post his first varsity shutout, stopping 32 shots to blank the Panthers. He was particularly impressive in the third period when he stuffed B-R repeatedly.
"He’s unbelievable," Kampf said. "That’s the biggest thing that came out of this tournament. Our goalie really stepped up under pressure. He really proved himself, not only to us but to New Jersey."
Alex Merry scored the game’s only goal unassisted with 6:02 remaining in the second period. A Bridgewater defenseman fell down, leading to a three-man breakaway. Merry carried the puck in and fired a shot under B-R goaltender Gary Biggs.
Visnovsky made sure the lead remained intact. He made a huge save on B-R forward Kevin Tino late in the game when the Raiders were killing their second straight penalty. B-R pulled Biggs in the final minute and kept peppering the HHS goal but Visnovsky denied every attempt.
"No one really thought we could beat Bridgewater," Visnovsky said. "We wanted to show everyone what we were made of. That gave us a boost."
The Raiders returned to the ice less than 24 hours later and played their second straight 1-0 game, this time coming out on the short end. The Cougars scored at 11:11 of the second period when junior forward Mike Yetter was in the right place at the right time. The puck caromed nicely off the boards to Yetter, who poked it home.
"They had a shot and it went wide and it went off the boards," said Visnovsky, who stopped Montgomery’s other 30 shots. "A guy was there at the post and he just put it in."
"It was a crummy goal," Kampf added. "But their kid was where he was supposed to be."
The Raiders had a chance to tie when Corey DeFranco was awarded a penalty shot after being taken down by the Montgomery defense. MHS goaltender Ian Healy came out hard and DeFranco couldn’t get off a shot. Healy made 21 saves to collect his second straight county tournament shutout.
Hillsborough (8-1) was disappointed after the loss but Kampf took it in stride. In the grand scheme of things, the Raiders have accomplished a great deal in their first month of varsity hockey.
"It’s the county tournament, so it’s a big loss, but we have to look beyond this tournament," Kampf said. "It’s bragging rights, but we can still brag. We beat the No. 1 team. For us to get past Pingry and Bridgewater says a hell of a lot. It builds a lot of confidence with these players."
The Raiders will return to the ice Friday night for a 4 p.m. home game vs. Millburn. Saturday afternoon at the South Mountain Arena, the Raiders figure to be tested by a very good West Orange squad.
Hillsborough opens 2006 as the top team in the Blue Division, well on pace to winning the Kelly Cup.
"We’re still 8-1 and we’re still No. 1 in our conference," Kampf said. "We still have a whole season in front of us. Our players are looking at the states right now. They realize they can compete."