4:01: Game is about to begin here for the Division 2 Championship Game. Starters for both teams are as follows:
Limestone:
G: Patrick Sheridan A: Vinny Ricci, Todd Nakasuji, Kyle Rhatigan M: Mike Messenger, Joshua Williams, Mike Ponzio D: Glenn Trovato, Anthony Stamino, Peter Papeleonti
LIU Post:
G: TJ DiCarlo A: Matty Beccaris, Ryan Siane, Chris Caiazza M: Anthony Berardis, Connor Drost, Joe Costello D: Justin Woodley, Robbie Chiocco, Steve Gruse
4:03: Limestone turns it over on their first possession
4:05: LIU Post strikes first as Matty Beccaris scores unassisted.
4:07: DiCarlo makes his first save of the game but Post turns it over on the offensive end.
4:08: Joey Rotolone gets Limestone on the board to tie things up here at 1.
4:10: Flag down, penalty will be called on Limestone. LIU Post has possession though until then. 30 second holding call on the penalty.
4:11: Post turns it over and Limestone clears and will kill the penalty and take over on offense.
4:13: Post called for a slashing penalty. Limestone will go man up for a minute to try and take the lead. Limestone turns it over and Post will look to clear and kill the penalty.
4:14: LIU Post turns it over in their offensive end on the clear and takes over on offense. DiCarlo makes a save though and Post gets the ball back and clears it.
4:16: Anthony Berardis scores his second goal of the game stick side low on Sheridan. 2-1 LIU Post with 5:09 remaining.
4:19: Multitude of turnovers by both teams eventually sees Limestone get a chance in transition but DiCarlo makes a big stop. Officials timeout as one of the officials was injured on that last play. Seems ok now though.
4:21: Limestone turns it back over and LIU Post now has the ball looking to up their lead to two.
4:23: First quarter ends with LIU Post up 2-1. Anthony Berardis with both of Post’s goals so far.
4:26: The attendance for today is 22,219 at M&T Bank Stadium.
4:27: Vinny Ricci ties the game for Limestone at 2 as he finishes low. Anthony Quiles gets the assist.
4:30: Ryan Slade scores on a dodge down the left side and rips it in a corner as Post goes up 3-2 with 11:20 remaining in the second quarter.
4:33: Calyl Robison ties this game up at 3 as he dodges down the left side and rips it by Sheridan.
4:34: Vinny Ricci gets his second of the game as he picks up the loose rebound and barely gets off a shot. It trickles past the Sheridan on a slow rolling shot. 4-3 Limestone with 7:45 left.
4:36: Two flags on the play on LIU Post. Slashing call on Robert Chiocco and holding call on TJ DiCarlo. Two man advantage for thirty seconds and one minute for one man advantage. Goalie switch as a result. Adam Winne now in net.
4:38: Timeout taken by LIU Post with 6:36 left, Limestone up 4-3 still as Limestone still has a man advantage.
4:40: Joshua Williams scores on the man up opportunity to extend the Limestone lead to 5-3. Vinny Ricci gets the assist.
4:42: Flag down. Pushing penalty on Octavio Bernato of LIU Post. Limestone with the man advantage.
4:44: And just like that ToddNakasuji scores off a pass from Mike Messenger. 6-3 Limestone.
4:45: Matty Beccaris unassisted. Unnecessary roughness on Anthony Quiles so LIU Post could cut this lead once again. 6-4 Limestone.
4:48: Limestone possession following the timeout. LIU Post is content to let them kill the penalty and teams return to even strength.
4:49: Vinny Ricci scores off a low shot from in tight. Kyle Rhatigan gets the assist as Limestone goes up 7-4.
4:51: Timeout called by Limestone with 58 seconds left with possession as they look to extend their three goal lead.
4:52: And extend the lead they do as Joshua Williams dodges down the right side and rips a shot stick side high on DiCarlo with 43 seconds left. 8-4 Limestone.
4:53: First half ends with Limestone up 8-4. Vinny Ricci has three goals and an assist so far for Limestone. Joshua Williams also has two goals. Beccaris leads the charge for LIU Post with two goals.
Stats: Limestone outshooting Post 23-11 (13-7 SOG). Faceoffs are almost even as Post has a 7-6 advantage. Limestone also has a 16-12 advantage
Goalies: DiCarlo has allowed eight goals and has five saves for LIU Post while Sheridan has allowed four goals and saved three shots for Limestone.
5:10: Limestone wins the opening faceoff for the second half and will have the first possession.
5:12: Colt Watkinson scores of a simple alley dodge down the right side and beats DiCarlo off stick low to extend Limestone’s lead to 9-4.
5:16: We may have controversy here as LIU Post appeared to have scored as the ball trickled across the goalline but it was called no goal and Limestone clears, turns it over and then gets it back.
5:18: Limestone can’t cash in on their possession and turns it over. LIU Post looks to get back on the scoreboard.
5:21: Sheridan makes back-to-back saves for Limestone but Limestone takes too long to clear and Post gets the ball back.
5:25: Injury timeout is called here as Todd Nakasuji is down and gets off under his own power. LIU Post has possession.
5:26: Chris Caiazza ends the Pioneers scoring drought as it is now 9-5 Limestone. Ryan Slade gets the assist. That goal ends a 16 minute scoring drought.
5:27: Kyle Rhatigan scores on the fastbreak. Anthony Quiles gets the assist to put Limestone back up five at 10-5.
5:28: Some chippy play in the middle of the field leads to several flags and some extracurricular activity from Robbie Chiocco and Kevin Reisman. Reisman leaves the field under his own power after getting injured.
5:30: One minute penalties for both Chiocco and another LIU Post player. Limestone on the man advantage.
5:31: Penalty killed as the third quarter ends with Limestone up 10-5.
5:37: LIU Post headed to the penalty box once again as they are called for a one minute cross check to the head. Foul is on Robbie Chiocco. Penalty is unreleasable.
5:39: LIU Post pushes in transistion on a Limestone turnover but they turn it right over and Limestone once again has possession.
5:41: Limestone crease violation leads to a LIU Post clear but they can’t get it over midfield before turning it over. Limestone possession once again.
5:42: Todd Nakasuji scores off a pass from Kyle Rhatigan with 8:06 remaining in the game as they push their lead to 11-5.
5:43: Tic-tac-toe on a fastbreak as Vinny Ricci scores off a pass from Nakasuji. Ricci now has four goals and an assist while Nakasuji has two goals and one assist. Limestone up 12-5.
5:47: Nothing going right for LIU Post as Sheridan makes an impressive one-on-one save to keep the score at 12-5. Limestone with the ball with 3:45 remaining.
5:48: Limestone turnover sees DiCarlo start the clear and LIU Post gets another possession. Too little time though for a comeback.
5:49: Connor Mackay ends the long LIU Post scoring drought as he dodges down the left side and rips it far pipe. 12-6 lead for Limestone now.
5:51: Easy save for DiCarlo as he starts transition. Save is matched by Sheridan and Limestone clears it. Their sideline is getting rowdy now as there is 40 seconds left.
5:52: And that does it, Limestone is your new Division 2 National Champion! Vinny Ricci is your Most Outstanding Player of the Game. He finished with four goals and an assist in the 12-6 win for Limestone.
5:53: Final stats
Limestone outshot LIU Post 41-30, 26-19 advantage in shots on goal, 36-31 advantage in ground balls, 11-10 advantage in faceoffs.
Ricci had five points, Rhatigan and Nakasuji both had three and Joshua Williams with two goals. Sheridan finishes with 13 saves on the day.
Beccaris scored two goals while Berraris, Slane, Caiazza and Mackay each score a goal. DiCarlo saves 14 shots while allowing 12 goals.
