On Thursday night, March 2, the TABC Varsity Storm traveled to HAFTR for a quarterfinal game to take on the Hawks in what would be the most exciting and intense game of each team’s season thus far. TABC came in with some confidence as they had beaten the Hawks easily, 5-1, earlier in the season; however they knew it would not be so easy this time around as HAFTR would be hungry for some revenge and had the home court advantage. However, TABC matched (and beat) HAFTR with fans as they had a fan bus, which brought over 60 fans all the way to the Five Towns for the game.
The first and second periods were played pretty evenly, with TABC getting a few more shots on net than HAFTR. However, both defenses and goalies played well in the first two periods and the score was 0-0 going into the third. Ten seconds into the period, Efraim Tiger passed the ball to his linemate Zach Rothenberg in the corner, who spun to his backhand and made a perfect pass right back onto the stick of Tiger, who had rolled to the middle after making the pass. Tiger one-timed it into the top of the net and TABC was up 1-0. The TABC fans (and the DRS and Rambam kids) went crazy, and it was a huge momentum swing in favor of the Storm. With a few minutes left, after two questionable penalty calls, TABC was down two men and had to kill off a four on two power play. HAFTR hit the post, and Solly Wieser made some huge saves to keep TABC up 1-0 and kill off the four on two. However, with 11 seconds left in the game, after a scuffle in the middle, HAFTR was able to knock a loose ball into the net to tie the game up at one.
To overtime the game went, and TABC was hungry for the win. The overtime was an exciting period with multiple scoring chances for both teams, some two on ones, and quite a few misses in front of each team’s net. However, neither team was able to capitalize, and so at the end of the first overtime the score was still 1-1. Off the opening faceoff of the second overtime, HAFTR dumped the ball into the TABC zone. Josh Leiman chipped the ball off of the boards to Efraim Tiger, who then cleared the ball into the corner. A HAFTR defenseman got the ball, but then cleared it right into his own teammate. Senior captain Zach Rothenberg was right there and, off the bounce, slapped the ball with his backhand through the goalie’s five hole to win the game. TABC stormed the court and celebrated this huge win with the many faithful fans that had come out to watch. The Storm continue their Quest for the Ship as they take on the one seed, Frisch Cougars, in the semis on Tuesday, March 14, at Frisch.
