OT win sends CHS icemen to sectional semis
By Jay Turner
Citizen Staff
Outstanding
goaltending by senior Jon Donaruma and another dominant
performance by league MVP Kevin Rooney proved to be the
difference on Saturday as the CHS boys’ hockey team survived an
OT thriller against familiar foe Mansfield to earn a return trip
to the Division 2 south sectional semifinals.
 The 4-3
victory, won on a Rooney goal just eight seconds into overtime,
set up a dream rematch last night with league rival Franklin,
which grabbed a spot in the sectional final four with an easy
6-0 win over leaguemate Oliver Ames. (See semifinal results next
week.)
Unlike the
top-seeded Panthers, Canton had to scratch and claw its way to
Saturday’s win, surrendering leads of 2-0 and 3-1 before getting
the best of Mansfield in overtime.
Earlier in the
game it was all Canton, however, as the Bulldogs overcame what
coach Brian Shuman called some “nervous energy” to dominate the
puck throughout much of the first period. Besides outshooting
the Hornets 10-2, Canton also took a 1-0 lead midway through the
period on a goal by sophomore Matt Malloy, who took a well-timed
pass from Rooney and fired a wrister past the Hornet goalie.
Another young
gun, freshman Pat Ward, would add a pair of goals within the
first three minutes of the second period – sandwiched around a
Mansfield goal – as the Bulldogs built a 3-1 lead and appeared
to be in total control of the game.
But the
Hornets stuck around, eventually tying the score on two quick
powerplay goals late in the second period before taking over in
the third.
“After
Mansfield scored those quick two powerplay goals, we were kind
of shell shocked and played scared,” Shuman said. “As a result,
Mansfield really outplayed us for the rest of the game.”
Shuman said
the Bulldogs’ saving grace — quite literally — was the play of
Donaruma, who made several key stops down the stretch, including
the biggest one of all with 15 seconds remaining in regulation.
 “All year
long, I’ve told people he can win a game for us by himself,”
Shuman said of Donaruma. “He won this one for us.”
The other
hero, of course, was Rooney, who took a pass off the face-off
from senior captain Matt Buckley and streaked in alone for the
game-winning score in overtime.
“Rooney might
have played his best game of the season,” Shuman said. “He was a
factor in all four goals and he made a big shot when it counted.
The great players find ways to be difference makers in big
games, and Kevin showed why he is in that category.”
As for the
overall team effort, Shuman said he was very happy with how his
players were able to fight through adversity and gut out a
postseason win.
“We didn’t
play our best game,” he said, “but we found a way to win. It
showed how much heart this team has.”
March 4, 2010
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