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HITMEN ELITE BEAT ISLANDERS IN OT TO ADVANCE TO 2ND ROUND

By Dan Henningson, 03/04/15, 10:15AM EST

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Romeo Scores Mini Game OT GWG

WAYNE NJ – The Hitmen and Islander Hockey Club face off for the first round of playoffs, the two teams are no strangers playing each other 5 times in the past 7 games. 

The Hitmen came out of the gates hard in Game one of the series outshooting the Islanders 23-9 in the first period.  The Hitmen continued the attack into the second period but could not solve IHC’s starter Michael Mastrogiacomo.  The Hitmen put up another 17 shots but it was the Islanders who took the 1-0 lead heading into the third.  The Islander took the momentum into the third taking a two-goal lead with 8 minutes left in the game.  The goal was a dagger and the Hitmen had nothing left in the tank.  Mastrogiacomo was impressive making 46 saves for the win and shutout. 

With the season on the line and their backs against the ropes, the Hitmen needed to win Game two and the mini game in order to advance.  Unlike Game one both teams shared chances in the first period and it was an even affair.  With so much on the line both teams played with pace and speed pushing hard to take a much needed lead.  The score stayed tied at 0-0 until the Hitmen went on a 5 vs. 3 power play, and after 61 shots the Hitmen finally found the back of the net on a blast from defensemen Matt Ho.  The power play goal ignited the Hitmen bench and less than a minute later Ryan Romeo scored to make it a 2-0 lead.  The Islander’s made a late push and scored with a minute left in regulation to make it 2-1 but Starter Robbie Campbell would shut the door.  Making his first start in the playoffs Campbell made 33 saves to keep the season alive. 

The Hitmen kept the pressure on in the 20 minute mini game outshooting the Islanders 20-5 but neither team could score and therefore the series would be decided in overtime.  The Hitmen killed off a crucial Islander power play in the first two minutes of overtime.   With 6 minutes remaining in the first OT it was the Hitmen’s turn to go on the power play.  In the dying seconds of the power play defenseman Connor Collier took a wrist shot from the point that sent off a mad scramble in front of the Islander net and it was fellow defenseman Ryan Romeo who snuck in back door and buried the rebound to send the Hitmen into the second round.  Starter Robbie Campbell allowed one goal on 46 shots in his first appearance of the playoffs.

Head Coach Dan Henningson on the series and the OT thriller, “It was an exciting series, that was playoff hockey at its best!  We ran into a hot goalie and I credit our guys for sticking to the game plan and not getting frustrated.  We stuck together and had all 4 lines rolling in game two and I thought that was the difference from Game 1.”