After starting the 2019-20 season with a perfect 3-0 home stand, the Kushner Cobras stumbled to three consecutive losses against quality opponents seeing two tight games lost to Frisch and a poor effort against SAR. Despite the early season adversity, the team got quality goaltending from Nathan Orbach in the defeats, who, leading into the matchup against Rambam, had a 2.28 goals against average. After failing to convert in the previous game, pivot Eitan Kaynan made an assurance that he would put one in the net.
With rival teams Ramaz and TABC clamoring for points, Kushner understood that it was a must win game in Lawrence. The long journey paid off early into the first when Josh Lando broke the ice and slipped the ball past goaltender Judah Orlanski’s outstretched glove. Ramaz quickly tied the game 1-1 with a second chance opportunity off the stick of standout Jonathan Yizhaky. Not to be deterred, the Cobras were to get another goal, this time puck moving defenseman Jesse Koppel showed off soft hands and patience to get through the Rambam defense and tuck one in to make it 2-1. With time winding down in the first, Rambam was given a powerplay on a Ben Orbach charging penalty. Rambam set up to the point and blasted a rocket of a shot home to tie the game 2-2 which had Rambam feeling good to survive the first tied up.
Kushner was not phased by the back and forth scoring, and were determined to break the game open. After four minutes of one sided play, including three point blasts from Cobras captain Drew Rabinowitz which narrowly missed the mark, fellow captain Josh Lando slammed home his second goal and ninth of the season to make it 3-2. Rambam had no answer for the potent Kushner offense which was highlighted by a successful breakaway by Max Orbach scoring his eighth goal, to make it 4-2. Second period ended with Kushner holding all the momentum to close out the third.
Kushner began where they left off and capitalized off a Rambam penalty for fully closing the hand on the ball. After dealing with an early season foot injury, offensive catalyst Kaynan broke through on the powerplay with his first of the season. Kushner cruised to victory with goaltender Orbach shutting the door on the late Rambam attempts to get back into the game. Kushner plays again on December 8, at TABC which should be a can’t miss matchup.
By Yeshiva League Pass
