Spartans topple Cougars, take back first in CCL LYNN — It was probably as fine a third period as the St. Mary's hockey team has put together in a long time and it couldn't have come at a more opportune moment for the Spartans on Wednesday at Connery Rink.
Playing for first place in the CCL Large, the Spartans uncorked a 19-shot barrage on Austin Prep in the third period, as Tim Aylward and Bryan Wilkins scored to ensure a 4-1 Spartans win. St. Mary's now controls its own destiny for a second straight league title.
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"That really was a solid third period," St. Mary's coach Mark Lee said. "We needed to come out of here with a win (Wednesday) and the kids answered the call in the third."
The Cougars (6-5-3, 5-3-1 CCL) were right there with the hottest team in Division 1 hockey for most of the game, but had no answer when the Spartans (13-1-2, 6-0-1) turned up the wick in the third.
"I thought that we played good for the most part," Austin coach Lou Finocchiaro said. "But we can't put things together for 45 minutes. We've played a good 40 minutes most of the season."
The Spartans easily could have blown Austin right out of the rink on Wednesday if not for the play of freshman goaltender Elijah Harris, who stood tall between the pipes in the face of the constant pressure.
St. Mary's controlled much of the play in the first period but neither team could score until the final minute when Jordan Manthorne one-timed home Bobby Mullins' pass from behind the goal for a 1-0 lead.
"That was a huge goal by Jordan," Lee said. "We had played a pretty good period there and it was nice to get that one late."
The Cougars picked up their game early in the second and got the equalizer when Cam Russo banked a shot off Bailey MacBurnie's stick at 2:11.
True to its nature this season, St. Mary's shrugged off the Cougars goal and came back with one of its own two and a half minutes later as Chris Butler made a perfect pass to Mullins in the slot for the go-ahead marker.
"It's been that way for us all season," Lee said of his team's depth. "It's not been just one player carrying the load."
Both teams had chances as the period wound down but MacBurnie and Harris kept it 2-1 through two.
The third period would be a different story as the Cougars were hemmed in their own zone for long stretches.
Harris did a superhuman job of keeping it a one-goal game but the law of averages finally bit the Cougars with 4:59 left when Aylward went to the goal and poked a rebound between Harris' legs for a 3-1 lead.
Wilkins capped the domination 1:45 later when his flutterball got past a startled Harris
