On to the semifinals as New Canaan defeats Fairfield, February 28, 2015. Credit: Stacy Mettler
Jes Sauerhoff contributed to this report.
Parker Lewis scored a goal in double overtime to give the New Canaan Rams a dramatic 3-2 win over the Fairfield Mustangs in FCIAC quarterfinals at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford.
New Canaan–ranked No. 3 coming into the tournament–overcame a 2-0 deficit to the sixth-seeded Mustangs en route to the win, setting up a dream semifinal matchup against the No. 2 seed–arch-rival Darien on Wednesday.
After a scoreless first period which saw the Rams outshot the Mustangs 17-5, Fairfield drew first blood in the second. Mustangs junior forward Jake Fuss was taken down on a breakaway by Ted O’Rourke and was awarded a penalty shot. Fuss made it count, scoring on a backhand through the left arm of New Canaan goalie Liam Mooney to give Fairfield a 1-0 lead with 4:16 left in the period.
Fairfield would add to that lead just ten seconds later. After winning the ensuing faceoff, Jack McCormick fired a shot from the left point that Mooney saved. Fairfield’s Owen Emmendorfer put home the rebound, giving the Mustangs a 2-0 with 4:06 remaining in the second.
In the third period, New Canaan killed an early Fairfield power play, then would later convert on their own man advantage after a slashing penalty on the Mustangs. With 3:52 left in the game, Max Begoon took a Fairfield clearing attempt at center ice and skated just past the blue line, ripping a one-timer from the left point area for New Canaan’s first goal.
A little more than a minute later, New Canaan would score the equalizer. Tyler Hill kept the puck in the Fairfield zone, foiling a clearing attempt. Hill took the puck down the right side of the boards, centered a pass to O’Rourke in some traffic, who then found Patrick Hompe open in the slot for a one-timer and a 2-2 tie with 2:41 left in regulation.
Both teams had great scoring chances in the first overtime. Fairfield’s too many men penalty gave the Rams an opportunity to put the game away, but Mustangs goalie Mike Grace made several heart-stopping saves. Fairfield’s best shot came with just over a minute left in OT, as P.J. O’Reilly had the puck behind the net, and found a wide-open Trevor Demilt, coming down in the slot. Demilt ripped a shot off Mooney’s right pad for an electrifying save to send the game into a second OT.
At the 3:56 mark of the period, Begoon fired in a shot from the left point that was tipped in front by Peter Katz on net, which Grace saved but didn’t cover. New Canaan’s Parker Lewis was in the right place at the right time at the left side of the net for the game-winner, sending the Rams to the FCIAC semis and a rematch of last year’s conference championship.
