Milton Beats Falmouth 3-1

MIAA Boys Ice Hockey Division 1 Quarter-Finals, Milton vs. Falmouth, Gallo Arena, Bourne, Saturday, March 3.

Time was running out. The score was 1-1; and nobody wanted it to go into overtime.

Falmouth's Storm Fotiu had scored early in the second period giving the Clippers the lead 1-0.

With 30 seconds left in the middle period Milton's leading scorer, Paul Curran, took the feed from Brian Higgins and fired a perfect shot by the Clippers goalie, Peter Negri, tying the game 1-1.

The fans, Falmouth on one side and Milton on the other, were raising the roof at the Gallo Arena, as they traded cheers.

At the start of the final period the consensus was - whoever scored in the final period probably would win the game.

Throughout the third period Milton's goalie Jay Hankard refused to let the puck into his net as he stopped shot after shot as Falmouth pressed to take the lead.

Suddenly with 43 seconds left in the game, Paul Curran challenged Negri putting the puck in for the second time. Negri would drop to his knees slumping over, shaking his head.

Time was now the enemy for Falmouth as they pulled the goalie only to have Milton's Brian Higgins break free with 8 seconds left scoring on the empty net.

The buzzer sounded and the Milton Wildcats would take the win 3-1.

"These teams were so evenly matched. What a game. Great hockey," said a Falmouth fan as he was leaving the arena. 

Both goalies kept their teams in the game as they stopped a barrage of shots.

Milton's Jay Hankard made 23 saves as Falmouth goalie stopped 18 shots on goal.

Milton moves on with a showdown against Braintree in a semi-final match. Time and place yet to be determined.