On the one hand, Livingston can take comfort in that on Wednesday night they outplayed Montclair Kimberley Academy on their own ice.
But on the other hand, the Lancers ice hockey team came home with a 3-3 tie as MKA took advantage of a Livingston penalty in which they were called with too many men on the ice with less than four minutes left in the game.
MKA's Eddie Haracz got his own rebound and put it by Lancers goalie Art Matar with 2:46 remaining in the game to tie it at three at the Clary Anderson Arena in Montclair.
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Despite the tie, Livingston head coach Dave Conklin was not unhappy with the team's effort.
"I would be more upset if we won and did not play well," said Conklin who added that he does not recall the last time that the Lancers defeated MKA although it might have been in the 1980s. "I thought we played well."
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With the new conference realignment — Livingston is now grouped with MKA in the NJIHL Central — the Lancers will get plenty of chances against MKA. Livingston faces the Cougars again near the end of the season on Feb. 12 at Codey Arena.
In explaining the too many men on the ice, Conklin said, "we had a player at center ice and he was heading for the box; but he wanted to get the puck down the ice. It was a mix up."
For freshman Johnny Garfinkel, who had a goal and an assist, it was a disappointing tie, but the ultimate goal is further down the line.
"We're trying to make the states and we're trying to get every win that we can," said Garfinkel.
The Lancers looked like they were in good shape as the minutes ticked away in the third period while nursing the 3-2 lead.
Livingston got that lead when Garfinkel set-up Beau Langdon who shot it past MKA goalie Andreas Graham to give Livingston a 3-2 lead with 1:43 remaining in the second period.
"It (puck) sort of dribbled over his stick and I saw him (Langdon) coming along the side," said Garfinkel about getting the puck from the MKA player. "Those are the opportunities that you have to capitalize on."
But then there was the too many men on the ice penalty, which tried Livingston's defense of John Mandi, Ben Arden along with Seth Crockett and Drew Wagner. They did well, but MKA's Haracz was able to get his own rebound and flicked it past Matar.
Livingston had the upper hand three times in the game, but each time MKA responded.
The Lancers struck first as Drew Wagner scored on a rebound past MKA goalie Graham with only a little more than a minute off the clock in the game, giving Livingston a 1-0 lead.
But MKA came back five minutes later as the Cougars Dylan Parker scored on a rebound of his own past Matar for a one-all tie.
During that first period Livingston missed a golden opportunity to take a 2-0 lead when they had a 5-3 man advantage for 90 seconds. Both Lancers Jason Weinberger and Cameron Friedfertig had excellent shots, but one missed the goal and the other was saved by the goalie.
With both teams going back-and-forth in the second period, Livingston finally lit the lamp as Garfinkel got a rebound of his own and made sure it got by Graham to make it a 2-1 lead with 4:16 remaining in the second period. But Haracz got the first of his two power play goals a little more than two minutes later to tie the game.
The Lancers have a 12-day layoff and will not skate until January 4 against Montclair at Codey Arena at 4:30 p.m.
Livingston 2009-10 Ice Hockey schedule
(Games at South Mountain Arena or Codey Arena unless noted)
Jan. 4 Montclair, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 6 at Roxbury, Mennan 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.
