Elite squad strikes back to win in OT 3 - 2

--Note, games at the Rockets showcase were playing with 3 17 minute periods--

Bridgewater, NJ – The Elite squad came back from being two down to win in overtime, 3 – 2 to take their first game of four at the Rockets showcase at the Bridgewater Ice Arena.

Neither team scored in the first period, but the Whalers struck first with a goal from Kevin Spallin, which was unassisted.

Liam Beattie made it a 2 – 0 game with an assist from Giuliano Fazio.
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The Pics power play unit then took over from there, as John Spallin was called for kneeing at the 15:50 mark of the 2nd period. Braeden Humphrey got the Pics on the board first just 11 seconds later when the puck got deflected onto him with a St. Martin shot from the blue line and into the net. Bryce St. Martin and Nick Disanti were both credited with assists. “I was in front of net looking back to see where goalie was turned around, and as St. Martin shot it, it hit me and went into the net. We started to celebrate and wanted to keep it going.” Humphrey was quoted after the game.

​​Brandon Shuman was able to even up the score just a minute into the final frame while the Pics were on a 5 – 3 power play, courtesy of a 5-minute major for cross checking at the 17:45 mark of the 2nd period, then a 2-minute cross checking at the end of the 2nd period. The Pics won the faceoff, and dished the puck back to Shuman who was sitting at the blueline, and shot it past the Whalers goaltender. Tyler Genovese and Simon Higgins were credited with the assists.

​Higgins then was able to finalize the game halfway into the overtime frame as he got a feed from Genovese and went top shelf against Whalers goaltender Lucas Holland. Shuman was credited with the secondary assist. “We did not come out strong out of the gate and had to kick start halfway through game.  We got one, and it opened up.  The game should not have been so close, but it was.  We came together as a team and got the character win.  In overtime, we had to win faceoffs and knew we had to get puck to the net.  Geno drew in two guys, which left me open and I took the shot and it went in.  Shoot, pass, score just like the cone heads in miracle.” Pics forward Simon Higgins was asked after the game, reflecting on his team’s performance.

Holland stopped 42 out of 45 shots in the loss, while Ray Picard was able to stop 21 out of 23 shots for the win.

Chris Beaudoin was asked for his thoughts of the game, and was quoted at saying “We were not playing very well, playing slow and individual. Trailing 1-0 going into half went in and told them we just need to get more pucks to net and play Pics hockey.  Pucks In deep and get on them hard.  We needed to move puck more as team.  Came out gave up one early to go down 2-0 then he picked it up and played a little better.  Higgins said it best it was another character win.”
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The Pics play the Jersey Hitmen at 10:20 AM tomorrow.