Schools
Monahan's Late Goal Lifts Bridgewater Into Semis
Power-play tally in final minutes sends Panthers into next round of Skylands Cup.
Dave Monahan scored with less than two minutes remaining to lift the Bridgewater High School ice hockey team to a 1-0 victory over Hillsborough Friday night in the first round of the Skyland Conference Cup at the Bridgewater Sports Arena.
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IN SHORT
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The game went through two full periods without a score. Both teams killed penalties without a score and neither seemed to have an advantage. As the clock wore down in the third period, Bridgewater began mounting an advantage in the Hillsborough end. With just two minutes to go, Hillsborough was called for a penalty giving the Panthers a power play. Monahan scored past Raider goalie Tim Sweeney for the game's only goal.
"It was a power-play and we set up the way we normally do," Monahan said. "They were trying to keep it up top and I was tryiing to keep it down low. Their kid stepped up on me and I went around him. I watched the entire game and I knew we wouldn't have another chance, it was open and I shot it."
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PANTHER OF THE GAME
David Monahan-Monahan scored the game's lone goal. "He has taken this team on his shoulders. I have never had a player that has taken an entire team on his back like he has. He deserves a heck of a lot of credit not only for putting the puck in, but for keeping everyone's head in the game, keeping everyone focused." -Bridgewater head coach Patrick Alvin
KEY PERFORMANCES
Robbie Campbell (Bridgewater)-Campbell secured a shutout turning away 18 shots by the Raiders; Tim Sweeney (Hillsborough) - The Raider goaile was stellar in the goal, making 36 saves between the pipes.
COACH'S TAKE
"We started off real slow, we weren't making good connections with our passes. Hillsborough really took it to us. We had some quality chances, we just weren't burying the puck in the goal. When it mattered most, we got it done." - Bridgewater head coach Patrick Alvin
THEY SAID IT
"We had a rough game against them last time and we knew they were going to bring it. It is such a good rivalry between us. It was a defensive game. They packed it low to keep it low scoring. One of our keys this season has been powerplays: when we play them well, we win, if not we struggle. We are never going to give up. I know we can beat all these teams, we just have to have more heart out there than the other team." - David Monahan
UP NEXT - Bridgewater faces top-seeded Ridge in the Skylands Cup semifinals Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
