MHS ice hockey bows out in overtime
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
MORRISTOWN — Rob Scarpa knew just how this one would play out. He just hoped it would be his team that got that final goal.
”Randolph clogs the middle very well and is smart defensively,” said Scarpa, the Montgomery High ice hockey coach. “I don’t expect to score four goals on them. We talked about it and said whoever gets the second goal would probably win the game. We thought we would both score one and then see what happens there. The second goal is usually the turning point of the game and that was the case this time.”
After Montgomery and Randolph battled to 1-1 tie through regulation of Saturday’s state A Division semifinal at Mennen Arena, the Cougars fell just short of a berth in the state final when Nick Beatrice scored just over six minutes into overtime.
”It was a consistent game on both ends, up and down the ice,” Scarpa said. “They put the last puck in and we didn’t.”
While Randolph may have had the better of play in the first period, jumping out to a 1-0 lead just before the first intermission, the Cougats got it together over the next two period. Montgomery eventually tied the game just over a minute into the third period when Tripp Garringer scored a power play goal off an assist from Mike DeMarco.
”Those are two seniors on defense and we work on (power play situations) every day in practice,” said Scarpa, whose team finished the season with a 21-6-2. “They worked hard at it and they excelled at it this year. It’s the little things in the game that not a lot of people see that can change a game. That was one of them there and they got it done as two seniors.”
Regulation ended with the game tied, 1-1. In the overtime, Randolph outshot Montgomery, 11-2, and got the goal it needed to advance to the state final against Ridge.
”We’ve seen each other three of the last four years in the states,” Scarpa said. “I think we know their tendencies and they know our tendencies. At that point something has to happen for one of the teams and on this day it was Randolph that got the last goal.”
While Randolph got the win, the outstanding play in goal of Dylan Dineen helped the Cougars get to overtime. He made 33 saves in goal to end his first year as a starter.
”Dylan has been great all year,” Scarpa said. “He came in this year and replaced Ian Healey, who had 50 wins over three years. No one knew about Dylan. I kind of named him the starter at the banquet last year and he took off with it. I have nothing but respect for the kid. He didn’t play a single game last year and he steps in this year and wins 21 games for us. That’s a pretty good jump for him.”
And he was part of a Montgomery team that had a pretty good run of its own, even if the Cougars came up one win short of reaching the state final.
”We had a good season,” Scarpa said. “We were a goal short in most of our losses. The top four or eight teams in Public A can all play with each other.”

