Lancers Can't Skate Past Mounties

 A couple of tough goals in Monday night's game against Montclair prevented Livingston's ice hockey team from grabbing its fourth victory of the season. Two questionable goals scored after a scramble in front of Livingston goalie Anthony Congianni were the difference as the Lancers lost 3-2 at Codey Arena.

The loss dropped Livingston below .500 for the season with a 3-4-2 record.

On Monday, the Lancers had a shot to tie the game with less than five minutes remaining in the third period with a power-play opportunity and Livingston head coach Dave Conklin taking a timeout.

"I wanted to give our power play guys a rest as they just had a shift," said Conklin. "I wanted to remind them about working the power play goal and put in a little wrinkle."

But despite the timeout, Livingston could not get the equalizer. "We had a couple of good chances, but could not get it in," said Conklin.

The Lancers were without their top goalie Art Matar who suffered food poisoning the night before so Conklin went with backup net minder Congianni who played admirably with only one of the three goals might be considered his fault.

"He did a good job," said Conklin about his back-up. "It is tough when you don't get regular minutes, but it was good for him to get some ice time."

The game winner, though, came at the beginning of the third period.

Down 2-1, Livingston came out flying to start the third period and had a couple of chances, but Montclair goal tender Brendan Gaetghens swatted attempts away.

But on the first trip down the ice, Montclair's Jevon Ratliff sat in front of Congianni and was able to squeeze the puck past the goalie. 

"For the third goal, I thought he (Congianni) had it," said Conklin. "There were a couple of questionable goals."

The goal counted despite the consternation of Livingston and gave the Mounties a 3-1 lead with a little less than 14 minutes remaining in the third period.

Livingston kept pecking away on the Montclair side and it finally paid off with a little less than 10 minutes in the period after Cameron Friedfertig fed Adam Lanel the face-off to the right of the Montclair goal and drilled it past Gaetghens to cut the Mounties lead to 3-2.

The Lancers had a couple of power play opportunities, but just could not connect and get it past Gaetghens to tie the game.

While not the winning goal, one of the toughest goals to swallow for Livingston came with only a second left in the first period when Montclair forward Jay Duffy snapped a wrist shot over Congianni's left shoulder.

"Any time you give up a goal with less than one minute in a period, it hurts," said Conklin. "It was a mental breakdown and at that time all we're looking to do is get it out (of the Livingston side)."

Instead of being down only 1-0, the Lancers found themselves behind 2-0 heading into the second period. Livingston finally got on the scoreboard with a critical goal in the second period as Michael Philpott chipped in a shot from Zach Martin at the point. The goal sliced the Montclair lead to 2-1.

Livingston 2009-10 Ice Hockey Schedule

(Games at South Mountain Arena or Codey Arena unless noted)

Jan. 6                     at Roxbury, Mennen Arena, 4 p.m.

Jan. 9                     at West Orange, 3:45 p.m.

Jan. 15                   at Nutley, 6:45 p.m.

Jan. 17                   at Verona, 9 p.m.

Jan. 20                   at Parsippany Hills, 4 p.m.

Jan. 23                   Nutley, 6 p.m.

Jan. 25                   Morris Hills, 4:30 p.m.

Jan. 31                   at Parsippany, Prudential Center, 2:30 p.m.

Feb. 1                     at West Essex, 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 5                     Millburn, 7 p.m.

Feb. 12                   MKA, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15                   Edison, 7 p.m.