Aspromonti And The Friars Take Game One

Junior James Aspromonti completed his first career varsity hat-trick in game one of the SCHSHL Finals as the St. Anthony’s Friars cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls. St. Anthony’s scored four unanswered after falling behind 1-0 early in the first frame. The Friars power play went 4/9 on Sunday night with Junior center James Schendorf scoring one power play goal and adding another three assists on the man advantage. Junior winger Ryan Leon scored once and tallied two assists on the power play in a four point performance of his own. Junior defenseman Brody O’Doherty and the Friars captain Brady Monteleone were paired at the point on the sixth and seventh power play goals of the game for the Friars. Senior netminder T.J. Ulmschneider was stellar in his third post-season win through as many starts for the Friars. The St. Anthony’s Friars will take on the Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls on Monday February 19th at the Rinx with puck drop set for 9:40 PM. The Friars are now just one win away from claiming their third consecutive SCHSHL title.

Juniors R.J. Pfister and Jackson Cantalupo were the lone goal scorers for the Bulls. Pfister opened the scoring with the Bulls first power play goal of the post-season. The Bulls went 1/4 on the man advantage on Sunday night. Senior goaltender Patrick Ryan started in net for the Bulls. The Friars forced three defensive zone turnovers in the first period before scoring a power play goal of their own which ended the Bulls goaltender’s night. Junior Aidan Halliday replaced Ryan at the start of the second stanza. Halliday was stellar in relief, however the Friars were able to find the back of the net three more times on the power play.

Defenseman R.J. Pfister scored his second playoff goal on a 5 on 3 advantage with 11:11 remaining in the opening frame to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead. Pfister fired a shot from the right wing dot that beat the Friars netminder. Winger James Aspromonti evened the score with 9:03 left in the 1st period. Center James Schendorf got to work on the forecheck, winger Ryan Leon forced a turnover along the left wing wall before handing it off to Aspromonti, who walked in to the slot and sniped stick side high. Forward Tommy Azzariti scored the go-ahead goal with 4:44 remaining in the first frame. Forward Brady Monteleone chipped it around the end boards from the right wing side, center Zack Sirel fired a shot from the opposite side which was blocked by the stick of a Bulls defender before Azzariti poked it away and into the back of the net. Winger Devin Curry scored the eventual game winner with 2:30 left to go in the first frame to give Friars a 3-1 lead. An area pass to the slot was collected by Curry who fired it far side to beat the goaltender far side. James Aspromonti potted his second of the game with 22 seconds remaining in the 1st period to make it 4-2. Schendorf sent the puck towards the slot where Aspromonti spun and fired shot to beat Ryan.

Bulls netminder Aidan Halliday relieved Patrick Ryan at the start of the 2nd period. Forward Jackson Cantalupo scored 9 seconds into the second stanza to make it 4-2. Cantalupo forced a turnover, walked into the slot and rifled a shot from the left side hash marks past the Friars netminder. James Aspromonti completed his first career varsity hat-trick with 7:21 remaining in the second stanza to put the Friars up 5-2. Ryan Leon fired a shot that was denied by Halliday before collecting the loose puck and sending it across the slot where Aspromonti buried it from the back door. 

James Schendorf scored his first goal of the playoffs on the power play with 9:37 remaining. The Friars forced a turnover in the corner and the puck came to Schendorf, who beat the goaltender short side on a backhand shot from right in front. Ryan Leon scored his third of the postseason to put the Friars up 7-2 with 3:47 remaining. A shot by James Schendorf led to Leon cashing in on a rebound as bodies piled up in front. 

Scoring Summary

Three Stars of the Game