The South Shore Kings will make their first appearance in the NCDC Dineen Cup Championship Series, following a 2-0 series victory against the Twin City Thunder.
The Kings played two very different games going towards the Dineen Cup Finals, first winning 4-1 and then 5-4 in double overtime.
The Friday night game was a much more dominating performance. A 2-0 lead by Nathan Stachowiak and Joseph Kramer was blunted only by one Twin City goal to close the first by the Thunder’s all-time leading scorer Trace Norwell. The Kings added goals in the second (Jack Barbro) and the third (Joey Melo). Jacob Torgner registered 24 saves on 25 shots.
Saturday was a whole different ballgame, and really more like a game and a half. Logan Ganz scored in the first for the Kings and that period ended innocently enough at 1-0. Norwell evened the score, but Ganz again struck for a 2-1 lead. The Thunder’s Tristan Rand set a 2-2- tie after two periods.
The Kings started feeling good about going up 4-2 after goals by Cullin Wilson and Bryson Russell, but that doesn’t mean they were comfortable. A mere 1:01 after Russell’s goal, Rand scored his fifth of the playoffs and Nicholas Pomerleau scored the tying goal at 17:05 of the third.
Both teams registered 10 shots apiece in the first overtime, but none went in. Aiden Lindley’s goal off a Jack Barbro feed – also assisted by Logan Ganz – sealed the deal, and a trip to the Dineen Cup FInals.
Game 1 is Friday at the higher-seeded P.A.L. Jr. Islanders’ home arena of Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y. at 3 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. Game 2 on Saturday. Game 3, if necessary, will also be at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 2.
