The Troy Trojans ice hockey team endured a difficult 3-game weekend culminating with an amazing comeback win.
The weekend games began on Friday when the team traveled to northern Cincinnati to take on Sycamore. In a spirited battle with a depleted but inspired Sycamore team, Troy came away with a 7-3 win. Scott Riedel stood tall in goal helping his team fend off several flurries from their opponents.
Saturday's game at Hobart Arena was not as fortunate for the Trojans. Visiting St. Xavier, ranked 10th in the state of Ohio in a recent poll, put on a hockey clinic in defeating the Trojans by a score of 12-1. Ian Kuntz had the Trojans' only goal of the game.
Then came Sunday's game against La Salle. These two teams had played two tight games previously this season so it came as no surprise this game proved no different. Although it did not start off that way...
Troy fell behind 1-0 when La Salle scored with less than four seconds to go in the first period. The goal seemed to knock the wind out of the Trojan sails as they allowed two more goals in the second period. They left the ice after the period trailing 3-0.
Whatever was said in the locker room worked. Troy stormed back to tie the game with a goal by Caden Lombardo and two more by Zak Uhlenbrock. When a La Salle player received a 5 minute major for spearing and another for minor for slashing with about 8 minutes to go in the game, Troy was given a 5-3 power play. The stage was set for Troy to skate away with the win.
But La Salle's penalty killers proved to be too much, keeping the Trojans from scoring. To make matters worse for the Trojans, Jack McGuirk was penalized for elbowing with less than two minutes to go in the game. They would have to finish the third period shorthanded.
Troy successfully killed off most of the penalty in regulation but needed to finish in overtime. That they did and a minute into overtime, both teams were at full strength playing three on three.
After Grant Gariety led a nice breakout out of his own zone, he sent the puck to Ian Kuntz. Kuntz skated into the offensive zone on a 2 on 1 with Jack McGuirk. He fed the puck to McGuirk who held it momentarily then sent it back to Kuntz in a beautiful give and go play. Kuntz made no mistake, buried the puck behind the La Salle goaltender, and celebrated with his teammates.
An amazing come-from-behind victory for the Trojans!