Mamaroneck Hockey Season Comes to an End

If you were there in attendance during last night's Section 1 Division I semifinal game at "the Jungle," then you know exactly how wild things got.

The Mamaroneck Tigers and Lakeland/Panas Rebels battled back and forth like two old heavyweight contenders until the final bell. And it was the Rebels who ended up a little ahead on the scorecards.

Lakeland/Panas delivered a crushing blow to the two-time defending sectional champ, defeating Mamaroneck 5-4 in an exciting and entertaining game at the Hommocks Ice Rink.

With the win, Lakeland/Panas will now play against Suffern in the Section 1 Division I final at Army in West Point at 6:30 p.m.

Things were pretty much a deadlock the whole game through, and it really came down to the final 6:15 of the third period to decide who was going to advance to the finals. The game was tied 3-3 going into the third period and the Tigers made the first move as junior forward Scott Hagan scored Mamaroneck's lone goal of the period with 6:15 to go.

The goal got all the Mamaroneck fans screaming and in great anticipation of advancing for a shot at a three-peat, but the Rebels would have the final say. They answered back immediately as sophomore forward Nick Belger put in a goal on an assist from Robert Caffrey just 39 seconds later to tie the score at 4-4.

Then Caffrey scored what proved to be the winning goal with 2:11 left in regulation on an assist from Belger as the Tigers couldn't convert a few last-minute opportunities to try and push things into overtime.

"After a goal I always tell the guys to play a little harder and keep the pressure on the other team but I felt like we kind of set back and watched a bit after Sean [Hagan] made that goal to put us up," Mamaroneck coach Mike Chiapparelli said. "That one goal, they had that kid made a heck of a pass on us and we definitely had our chances tonight but we just didn't finish enough."

Mamaroneck did outshoot Lakeland/Panas 39 to 23 but the Tigers just squandered too many offensive opportunities and the Rebels capitalized on a good portion of their chances. Lakeland/Panas goalie Nick Chiapparino finished the game with 35 saves and Mamaroneck goalie Alex Harwood made 18 saves.