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No Bull, KPC is For Real

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Knights Win a Nail Biter Vs Bulls   

In a cross town showdown that went down to the wire, the Kings Park Commack Knights won a hard fought battle against the Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls. Early on in the game, the Bulls came out in full force. Smithtown Hauppauge managed to create several high danger scoring chances off the cycle in Knights territory, but Netminder Jayson Krauthammer stonewalled the Bulls at every turn. 

Rallying behind their goaltender’s heroics, the Knights quickly turned the tide and began to generate scoring chances. The Bulls Starting Goaltender, Aidan Halliday, would soon prove to be equally stingy. Even after two power play opportunities for the Kings, and one for the Bulls, the game remained scoreless. 

At the start of the second, the Bulls failed to capitalize on two additional power play opportunities. After the third KPC penalty expired, an injured Bulls player was forced to leave the ice. Over one minute later, Bulls Star Jackson Cantalupo gathered the puck in his own zone and went coast to coast. He beat Jayson Krauthammer with a show stopping wrister in transition, which put the Bulls up 1-0. The unassisted goal from the former Smithtown Hauppauge Bulls JV Champion, was his fifth goal and tenth point of the young campaign. 

The Knights would answer right back with an unassisted goal of their own scored by Jesse Lemza. About two and a half minutes later, Lemza scored his second of the night with a beauty of a wrist shot from inside the face off dot. It was his second goal of the game, sixth of the season and marked his fifteenth point of the season. The goal was assisted by Tyler Granelli. 

The Knights would hold the lead until the final seconds of the second period, when Brandon Landrigan found David Wetzal at the top of the key. It was the Bulls Blue Liner’s first ever SCHSHL Varsity Goal, and marked his sixth point of the season. After over twenty minutes of shutout hockey, the last eight and a half minutes could be summed up in just two words: Goals galore.  

That came to an end at the beginning of the third period with a series of show stopping, game defining saves from both young goalies. At around the six minute mark a short handed breakaway by Ryan Walsh was stopped by the calm, cool and collected Aidan Halliday. Then a game saving save by the paddle of Krauthammer, kept the game tied. At the two minute warning, the game appeared to be heading for overtime. Then Ryan Walsh broke free in transition, splitting and overpowering the Bulls defenders to score a breakaway goal. Walsh’s Game Winning Goal, the first of his SCHSHL Varsity Career, was assisted by Ronald Key. It was Walsh’s second goal and fifth point of the 2023-2024 season.

Three Stars of the Game

Third Star Goes to the Knights leading scorer, Jesse Lemza, who scored two goals on the night. His hard nosed play on the first KPC goal of the night, followed by a wrist shot from the inside of the dot put Kings Park in Position to win the game. The Second Star of the game goes to Jayson Krauthammer, whose stellar saves were crucial to keeping the game tied in the third period. First Star goes to Ryan Walsh, who played like a man possessed in the third period. His impressive play in the third period, which was capped off by his first Game Winning Goal, gave KPC two crucial points moving forward. 

Looking Forward

Having lost to the heroics of T-Birds netminder Mathew Hughes in round one of last seasons SCHSHL Playoffs, the Knights came in with a chip on their shoulder. Having gone 5-0-1 in their first six, the Knights will take on the Tigers on Wednesday November 1st at 7:50 PM. Then the Knights will face off against the currently undefeated Sachem on Wednesday November 8th at 7:50 PM. Following that matchup, the Knights will take on the West Islip Lions on Monday November 13th at 8:10 PM.

Coming off a second round loss to East Islip in the SCHSHL playoffs, the Bulls are off to a 3-3 start this season. On Monday October 30th at 8:10 PM, this year’s Bulls will look to avenge that loss against Ryan Anatra’s East Islip Squad. Then the Bulls will face off with the T-Birds on Sunday November 12th at 7:50 PM. That game will be followed by a matchup with the Longwood Lions on Wednesday November 15th at 7:50 PM. 

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