2/11/04
#3 Taft and #4 Salisbury All Tied Up
Salisbury, Conn. -- In a good up-tempo prep game, #3 Taft escaped with a 2-2 tie with #4 Salisbury here this afternoon.
Salisbury had a distinct edge in play, outshooting the visitors 39-18, but Taft sophomore goalie Alex Kremer was excellent, keeping the Rhinos in the game with a number of key saves.
In the first period, Taft got on the board 1:35 in when senior T.J. Kelley scored with assists going to Tom Maldonado and Luke Popko.
At the 7:33 mark, Salisbury got it back when defenseman Daryl Veltman, during a line change, hit UNH recruit Jerry Pollastrone with a pass. Pollastrone, who was a force throughout the game, using his speed and hustle to create numerous scoring opportunities, fired a slapshot from the top of the left face-off circle that hit Kremer’s glove, bouncing over it and into the net. It was Kremer’s only hiccup of the game.
Taft went ahead at the 8:55 mark with a power play goal. Brown recruit Todd Johnson, stationed at the top of the left face-off circle, took a pass from senior Kurt Hertzog and blasted it. Senior LW Matt Smith got a piece of it on the way through and Taft took a 2-1 lead into the dressing room.
Salisbury’s Mike Atkinson hit a post with just seconds left in the period.
The game moved into the second period with Taft up, 2-1, and it would stay that way throughout the middle stanza.
In the third period, Salisbury made it 2-2 when Mike Atkinson, a Vermont recruit, took a shot from the point and Boston College recruit Brian O’Hanley jumped on the rebound.
That was it for the scoring. Salisbury kept the pressure on, with brothers Chris Atkinson and Mike Atkinson each coming up with great opportunities only to be denied by Kremer. Maldonado had a good chance for Taft with a bit over a minute left in regulation.
Salisbury outshot Taft, 12-3, in the third period.
In overtime, Salisbury kept the pressure on, and went on the power play when Taft was whistled for tripping a couple minutes in. Salisbury, however, just couldn’t come up with the winning goal. Salisbury dominated overtime, outshooting Taft, 8-0.
After the game Salisbury coach Dan Donato said, “Their goalie played a terrific game. He made some tremendous saves... plus we hit a few posts.”
“Taft is a very good team,” he added. “Last month, they beat us, 5-2, and I thought that was our one bad game of the season. For us, this was a great game mentally. Our effort was incredible. I told the players they could be proud of this one.”
“Both teams played very well.”
