Quigley opened the scoring at 12:49 of the first period with a power play goal, after #44 Matt Mahouski of Carrick was called for roughing at 13:52. The goal was scored by #16 Grant Faulkner, assisted by #33 Graham Harkins and #3 Josh Marshall. The Cougars clawed their way back 2 minutes later to tie the game at one apiece when #68 Mitchell Faust scored unassisted at 10:42. Carrick Forward #19 Nick Derbish knocked in a loose puck around the Quigley net at 7:04 to give his team a one goal lead. The goal was assisted by #10 Matt Maurice and #44 Matt Mahouski. The remainder of the first period was back and forth. Both teams had good scoring chances, but neither could get the puck past the other’s goaltender until #4 Ryan Dolence for Quigley picked up his first goal of the game at :48 to tie the game at the end of Period One at two. Shots on goal at the end of period one were Quigley 15 Carrick 14. The Second Period began slowly. Each team had a power play opportunity but neither capitalized. Carrick Defensemen #21 Tommy Hanna finally broke the ice at 1:44 while #4 Ryan Dolence was in the penalty box serving a High Sticking minor. Hanna’s goal was assisted by #6 Steve Nath and Hanna’s defensive partner #14 Ian Gugliuzza. The goal put Carrick up by a score of 3-2 but the lead was short lived. Just 27 seconds later #16 Grant Faulkner found the back of the Carrick net for his second goal of the game after a nice pass from #3 Josh Marshall who got the puck from Graham Harkins. The
Spartans were not content with a tie going into the second intermission. Eight seconds after the following center ice face-off #4 Ryan Dolence notched his second goal of the game with a blistering slap shot that found its way through Carrick goaltender Jimmy Helbig’s pads to give his team a one goal lead going into the ice cut. Josh Marshall picked up his second assist of the night on the goal by Dolence. Once again the teams played evenly giving up 14 shots each. Period number three started with The Carrick Cougars down by a goal and desperate to tie the game after giving up a late goal at the end of the second period. Their desperation paid off just 7 seconds into the third period, when Forward Mitchell Faust took matters into his own hands after receiving a pass from his linemate #7 Jay Kass. Faust scored the even strength goal to knot the game up at four. #34 Brian Wagenhofer for the Spartans was penalized for Interference at 12:36 and Tommy Hanna scored his second of the game at 11:12. The tie breaking goal was assisted by Sophomore Forward #82 Jonathon Larkin. Carrick Defensemen Ian Gugliuzza accidently caught one of the Quigley players with a High Stick which gave the Spartans the opportunity they needed to get back in the game. They did not squander the chance as #95 Nathaniel Altman scored a Power Play goal at 7:58 to tie the game at 5. Altman’s goal was assisted by Faulkner and #13 Jeremy Dolence. Quigley killed two power plays and Carrick survived a penalty to #15 Eric Kincaid with just 1:13 left in the third period to stretch this exciting game to Overtime. Shots on goal in the second period were Carrick 6 Quigley 5.
The OT started with The Cougars killing off the remaining time of the Kincaid penalty and then an Interference minor to team Captain Jay Kass at 6:56. Carrick and Quigley tightened up their defense allowing only two and four shots respectively. Once again it was up to the Assistant Captain Mitchell Faust to provide the heroics and come through when his team needed him. Faust chased a loose puck in behind the Spartan net and was trying to work it in front when he was hit by a Quigley player and knocked into Jeremy Dolence. Dolence then hit Faust with a cross check drawing a minor penalty and tried to take the big Carrick forward with him to the penalty box by striking Faust with a left. But Faust just skated away to get his team the chance they needed to end the game. Dolence was given a second penalty for Roughing and a 10 minute Misconduct. Faust however was not finished. He notched his third and the game winning goal at :44. Matt Mahouski picked up his second assist on the Faust goal. The win sends the Cougars into Thursday night’s Nailer Cup Final game against the winner of the Morgantown vs. Wheeling Central matchup.
