Henry Whelan delivered when it mattered most, completing his hat trick with 4:47 remaining in the third period to lift Cold Spring Harbor to a dramatic 3-2 playoff victory over Wantagh/Seaford/Plainedge at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center on Sunday. The game-winner, assisted by Joseph Jalbert and Eydan Wyttenbach, capped off a remarkable individual performance that kept the Seahawks’ playoff hopes alive while ending the Warriors’ season.
Cold Spring Harbor appeared to be in complete control after Whelan‘s two first-period goals, the first coming at 8:20 with an assist from Waylon Helfer, followed by an unassisted tally at 5:51. The Seahawks carried that 2-0 advantage through a scoreless second period, but the Warriors stormed back in the final frame with two quick strikes from Mason Koslowski. The prolific scorer, who entered the game with 25 goals and 34 points in just nine games, single-handedly erased the deficit with unassisted goals at 14:23 and 8:48 to tie the game at 2-2.
The playoff atmosphere was electric as both teams traded penalties throughout the contest, with eight total infractions called in a physical affair befitting postseason hockey. Cold Spring Harbor’s Emmanuelle Stein was outstanding in net, stopping 27 of 29 shots for a .931 save percentage to backstop the victory. The Warriors split goaltending duties between Saverio Goetchius and Elliot Seluga, who combined for 25 saves on 28 shots.
Whelan’s three-goal performance was particularly impressive given his stellar regular season form, having entered the game with 18 goals and 31 points in just eight contests. His game-winning heroics helped Cold Spring Harbor (15-2) advance in the playoffs while sending Wantagh/Seaford/Plainedge (12-6) home despite Koslowski‘s valiant two-goal effort. The teams had split their season series, with the Warriors winning the first meeting 9-6 back in January, making this playoff elimination all the more dramatic for both programs.