University vs. Sylvania Northview hockey: Ryder Beegun goal caps dramatic US rally for 2-1 win
Dec. 28—University was in need of a kick in the rear end between the second and third periods Dec. 28 against Sylvania Northview.
Yes, the visceral kind — because the Preppers had not performed at their optimal best to that juncture and knew it — but also a kick on the back side of the game, staring at a deserved deficit through two.
Both came in the nick of time.
Ryder Beegun's goal with 33 seconds left in the third completed a dramatic US comeback bid for a 2-1 win over Northview in Day 1 of the annual Brother James Memorial tournament at Gilmour.
#NHhockey US senior forward Samonte Martin discusses a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Sylvania Northview to open the Brother James Memorial tournament at Gilmour
Netted US' opener & had some nice shifts there in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/3vdlS5NycZ
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) December 28, 2022
The Preppers (11-5) have displayed some third-period mettle at times throughout this young campaign and did so again.
This one was particularly commendable, though, given US had to scramble for practice ice coming into the tournament because their home rink, the Pavilion in Cleveland Heights, unexpectedly shut down this week.
"You're expecting a little bit of legs not there, so we were a little bit slow in the first," Preppers coach Andy Gerow said. "In the second, I really liked our last four minutes of the second period. We finally started getting some things to the net. I talked to (US assistant Dom Anselmo) between periods, and we didn't have that many shots. We just told the guys, 'We've got to start generating something. We've got to dig deep. We've got to find a way.' In the third period, we kind of threw everything we had at them."
Including an equalizer and a game-winner to answer a tally by the Wildcats' Benny Seals at 9:42 of the first.
Despite logging just four shots in the second period, two key things happened for US: Deeper puck carry began to present itself, and Noah Caballero had an outstanding eight-save period. His pad stops on Drake Symbolik at 5:00 and Keegan Draper at 7:11 seemed to pump some energy into his squad for a comeback bid.
At 8:44 of the third, Samonte Martin pounced on a loose puck in the neutral zone, walked it in from the right side, deked and struck at the left bar to make it a 1-1 game. It was the senior's fourth goal of the winter.
#NHhockey US ties it at 1
Samonte Martin at 8:44 pic.twitter.com/4S5Cs8oncC
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) December 28, 2022
US nearly got the game-winner with 1:47 left with Martin and Luca Garofalo skated in on a 2-on-0 odd-man, but a wrister went begging high.
The game-winner came in the final minute. Sam Wade, who is developing into one of The News-Herald coverage area's most complete forwards with his forechecking and acute passing, skated in on a 2-on-1 with Beegun. Wade patiently picked his spot for a feed to Beegun, crashing through the left circle.
The sophomore handled the rest with a snappy wrister stickside for his second goal of the season and the final margin.
#NHhockey US wins it 2-1
Ryder Beegun off the patient Sam Wade feed at 14:27 pic.twitter.com/hv7jRwCINT
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) December 28, 2022
"We got a breakout pass, and Sam got it," Beegun said. "He skated up to the far blue line. I came up on defense to support him, which put us in a 2-on-1. He waited, he passed me the puck and I put it in the back of the net.
"We didn't come out ready (through two periods). In the locker room, we didn't play any music. We talked as a team and brought it all together. We gave it 110%, gave it everything we've got and we just played as a team to get it done."
Coming soon
For more from this game, as Gerow and Beegun discuss a chaotic several days for US between playing a game during the Dec. 23 blizzard and temporarily losing their home practice ice, check back in the coming days on News-Herald.com and in our print edition.
