The MTA Lions took the court against the HANC Hurricanes this past week with playoff hopes on the line. Senior Reuven Penn scored the first goal, but the Lions were down 2-1 after the first period. Throughout the second period the Lions took a multitude of penalties, but Penn managed to score another, short-handed goal. With continued effort, senior Zach Borgen and junior Gabe Isaacs both netted goals and, after a strenuous three periods, the game was not yet over. Tied 5-5, the teams headed to overtime.

Knowing that the Lions needed a win, coaches Yoni Stone and Gabi Stone made the bold decision to pull senior goalie Max Herskowitz from the net. Madness ensued, the Lions firing again and again at HANC’s net. It all seemed to no avail, however, as the referee prepared to drop the ball with nine seconds left in the Hurricanes’ zone. A tie, though, would not satiate Borgen and Isaacs. After a flurry of activity in front of the net, the ball made its way to the waiting stick of Gabe Isaacs with one second left. A determined Isaacs shot the ball, and the Lion’s bench exploded as the ball made contact with the back of the net with 0.2 seconds left. The Lions are now not only on the hunt for a playoff position, but favored to land a spot. The Lions’ next game will be against TABC in The Den on January 9 at 7:15 PM, in what’s being billed, “The Winter Classic.”

By Jonathan Felman