High School Ice Hockey:
Lancers Tame Mustangs In Playoff Opener

Monday, February 15, 1999

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

In an opening round playoff game at the Coliseum on Monday night, Holy Cross defeated Triton 5-3 as the SJHSIHL began its version of March Madness. After a scoreless first period in which the Lancers out-shot the Mustangs thirteen to four, Marino scored the first of his two goals on the night and Holy Cross had the 1-0 lead at the ten minute mark. Just over a minute later Phil Cordivari scored on a 2-1 break with the assist to Marino and the Lancers were up 2-0.

With the partisan Triton crowd getting a little restless, the Mustangs answered thirty-nine seconds later as Caporale scored to cut the lead to 2-1. Being spurned on by the crowd, the Lancers kept the pressure on and drew a penalty with less than seven minutes to go in the period. Holy Cross responded with not only a strong effort in killing the penalty but Clark scored an unassisted shorthanded goal to put the underdog Lancers up 3-1.

Triton, to its credit did not fold and responded with just over three minutes left in the second period as Reid scored with the assist to Caporale and the period ended 3-2. With the crowd seemingly getting louder, Triton dominated the first five minutes of the period but failed to score. When Zorojewski scored for the Lancers at the end of a power play the lead was again two goals at 4-2.

Again Triton responded less than thirty seconds later as Caporale scored his second of the night and it was 4-3. Marino ended the suspense as he scored on a breakaway with just under two minutes to play and the Lancers move on to the next round.

In an earlier game Collingswood eliminated Cherry Hill West, 8-0 and now faces Lenape, and Edgewood eliminated St. John Neumann 9-3.

Photos by Gary Finigan