The book for Victor: Regan Endres (2g), Patrick Carrozzi (1g), Joey Pezzimenti (4g), Goaltending: Liam Haller 9s/6ga = 60% (48 mins). The book for Pittsford: Harrison Cross (2g), Sammy Thomolaris (1g-1a), Jack Wallace (1a), Ryan Dumont (2g), Sonny Imburgia (1g), Ben DiGiovanni (1a), Goaltending: Brecken Catalano 12s/7ga = 63% (48 mins).
Victor Over Pittsford in a Thriller 2019-03-28 - After the game, one of the officials working it said it best when he said, "This looked like a Sectional Championship game." It certainly, although as the teams are in different classes, they won't play again this year.
Victor faceoff midfielder Regan Endres made a statement when he won the first faceoff of his junior year and promptly took it to the goal, where he scored, just seven seconds into the game. It was the only score in the first quarter.
Pittsford came back in the second quarter scoring three in a row in less than three minutes to take a 3-1 lead. Sophomore attackman Harrison Cross score the first Pittsford goal of the season with an assist from sophomore defenseman Jack Wallace. Less than two minutes later Cross score alone on a drive from behind the goal. With 3:49 left in the half senior attackman Ryan Dumont score from the wing after a feed from Ben DiGiovanni on the top.
With less than a minute left in the half, Victor scored two goals. The first was by senior attackman Patrick Carrozzi with an assist from jack LaRue and the second by junior attackman Joey Pezzimenti on a drive from behind the goal. It was the first of four for Pezzimenti as the teams went into the break, tied at 3-3.
The second half saw the teams alternating goals, with neither team up or down by more than one goal. Pezzimenti scored first with 2:05 left in the quarter on another drive from "x". Pittsford came back with an outside wing shot by senior middie Sammy Thomolaris with 0:11 left, by Endres scored a second goal, just like the first. He won the face off and ran it right to the Pittsford goal with 0:05 left in the quarter. Victor led after three 5-4.
The Panthers quickly tied the game when Dumont scored at 8:43, but Victor came back with a go-ahead goal by Pezzimenti on another drive from behind. Sonny Imburgia tied the game at 6-6 on a drive right down the middle at 3:30. Victor called a time out with 1:28 and twenty-eight seconds later Pezzimenti scored his fourth, again on a drive from behind, but this time drawing a penalty. Victor won the all-important next faceoff but stepped out of bounds and Pittsford gained possession and a time out with 0:13 left in the game. The Victor defense knocked down a Pittsford pass and the game ended with the Blue Devils winning 7-6.
There was, throughout the game a remarkable intensity. both teams ran uncommonly hard after ground balls and the defensive riding from both teams looked like mid-season form. Pittsford Coach Ted Rund's defense was excellent, playing a great deal of shutoff against two strong Victor players. The matchup of Pezzimenti against Patrick Sanna was key to the close game. On a number of occasions Connor Thornton controlled the Victor attackman very well. The Panther defense often played multiple formations, moving in and out of zones and shutoff man-to-man. Both goalies (Liam Haller for Victor and Brecken Catalano for Pittsford) made important "clutch" saves and their clearing passes were long and on target.
Pittsford will host St. Joe's (Section VI) on Saturday and Victor will travel to Irondequoit on Saturday.
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