Rotting the Core
U-19’s Down Apple Core
February 20, 2009

The Jersey Hitmen came to the Ice Vault on Thursday night looking for redemption against the Long Island Apple Core who had swept them in a weekend series earlier this month. Redemption is exactly what they got. The Hitmen battled through injuries and ejections to claim a hard fought 2-1 win.

The first period saw Apple Core come out strong early, but the Hitmen would turn the tide and control the back half of the frame. The period was high paced, physical, and featured some excellent goaltender from John Layton of Apple Core and Matt Braun of the Hitmen. When the horn sounded to end the period the scoreboard read 0-0 with the Hitmen holding a 15-9 advantage in shots.

The second period would finally see some offensive breakthrough and Apple Core would strike first. With Mike Duffy in the box on a hooking call the Core would notch a power play marker off the stick of Scott Witmyer assisted by Kevin Kavanagh and Zack Lokey at 14:44. After some good back and forth action the Hitmen would take advantage of a Michael Smith roughing penalty, adding a power play goal of their own. After working the puck low in the Apple Core zone the puck found its way back to the point and onto the stick of Craig Wyszomirski. Wyszomirski would fire a shot towards the net that deflected onto the stick of leading scorer Ali Thomas. Thomas fired a snap shot that found a microscopic hole just over the left shoulder of John Layton to pull the home team even. Just over a minute later with momentum on their side the Hitmen would strike again. After pinning the Core deep in their own zone Thomas would win a puck battle and find Michael Conte just inside of the left faceoff dot. Conte corralled the puck and fired one short side past Layton to give the U-19’s the lead.

The third period found Apple Core pressing to tie the score, but throughout the penalty filled period the Hitmen held strong. The two teams would combine for over thirty minutes in penalties in the final stanza and neither team was willing to give an inch. Matt Braun made several key saves to help the U-19’s claim victory.

The U-19’s travel to Foxboro, Massachusetts this weekend to take on the South Shore Kings in a weekend series.