BUFFALO, NY-- Batavia Notre Dame United fell short to the Skaneateles Lakers 7-2 in the New York State semifinals for Division II. B/ND opened up the scoring but then gave up five unanswered goals.
"It was a very emotional locker room," head coach Marc Staley for B/ND said. "So I just tried to remind them in this moment you're feeling down, how awesome they really are and how many wonderful things they did together this year."
Rhys Tanner was in net for B/ND and he collected 15 saves. The lone goal-scorer for B/ND was Ivan Milovidov.
Skaneateles's goal-scorers were Braedan Taggert, Luke Mizro, Andrew Gaglione, Jack Torrey, Cole Palmer and Casey Morrissey.
The first period was an even battle with B/ND's Milovidov grabbing a goal just 3:40 into the game. With 53 seconds left to go in the period, Taggert knotted the game up at 1-1 for the Lakers. The Lakers ended the period with eight shots on net while B/ND had seven.
8:29 into the second period Mizro broke the tie for the Lakers. That goal opened up the floodgates. Less than 1:30 later Gaglione extended the lead to 3-1. With 4:30 left to play B/ND committed a holding penalty. Just 22 seconds into the power play for the Lakers Jack Torrey scored a tip-in goal off of a shot from the point. With 1:30 left to play Cole Palmer capped off five unanswered for the Lakers to extend the lead to 5-1 to end the second period. The Lakers added nine shots on goal in the period and B/ND had four on net.
B/ND opened up the scoring 5:52 into the third period as Milovidov grabbed his second of the night. In what seemed like a momentum swing the Lakers committed a penalty to put B/ND on the power play. But 41 seconds into the power play Morrissey scored a short-handed goal and 15 seconds later the Lakers scored another short-handed goal to grab a 7-2 lead.
The Lakers scored seven goals with just 22 shots on frame. B/ND ended the night with 19 shots on goal.
Batavia Notre Dame's year ended with their first-ever sectional title as a combined team and a state final-four appearance. B/ND finished the year with a 22-3 record.