In the longest boys hockey final, Arndt's goal gives Concord the Division I title
Mar. 16—MANCHESTER — The longer the game went, the more the tide turned in Concord's favor, and boy was this game long.
Saturday's NHIAA Division I boys hockey championship at SNHU Arena was the longest state title game ever, ending in a 2-1, quadruple-overtime win for No. 1 Concord and a crushing loss for No. 2 Bishop Guertin, which had been 33.7 seconds away from victory near the end of the third period.
The late-game heroics started with the Crimson Tide's Cameron Roy taking a pass from Trevor Craigue on a 2-on-1 and slipping the puck between the legs of BG goalie Luke Bettencourt after Concord pulled its goalie for an extra attacker with 1:05 left.
The 91-minute, 29-second marathon ended when the Tide's Rowan Arndt poked the puck through the legs of BG's James Mantone during an early faceoff in the fourth overtime, snuck around Mantone and beat Bettencourt before four BG defenders could stop him.
"All season, my faceoff play is to go forward. And I just thought, 'We're trying to get out of here. So, I might as well try it.' And it paid off," said Arndt, a senior, on the goal that gave Concord its fourth championship in six years and 12th state title overall.
Roy gave credit to Craigue for setting up the dramatic last-minute tying goal in the third.
"I kept swinging in the neutral zone, and then Trevor just had a burst of speed. I was wide open back door. Was an awesome play by him," Roy said.
Both goals were indicative of the persistence, depth and fury that fueled Concord as the game kept going. The Tide had 31 shots on goal in overtime, including 15 in the second extra period.
"As the overtimes went on, we got better," Concord coach Dunc Walsh said. "I thought during the regulation, they outplayed us, but we just wore them down with our three lines."
Only two boys hockey state finals — in all divisions — have made it as far as two overtimes. The last final to go two OTs was in 1993, when Hanover beat Concord, 3-2
On Saturday, BG dominated the early play along the boards and in the corners and no one stood taller than the Cardinals' 6-foot-4 netminder Bettencourt, who finished with 64 saves.
"He was near perfect," BG coach Gary Bishop said of Bettencourt. "He ranks as good as anyone we've had."
Concord goalie Carter Heise, at just 5-foot-9 and 14 years old, stopped 45 shots.
"I thought we were going to lose. I had like 30 seconds left and Cam Roy came up big for us. And I think that just gave our team so much momentum," Heise said. "We just kept on going. ... I obviously don't want to let my boys down on my team, and I just tried to play my best."
BG senior forward Noah Cordeiro broke the scoreless tie 5:21 into the third period to beat Heise stick side with fellow seniors Mike Ponto and Jordan Delude assisting.
The game marked the seventh time Concord (19-2) and BG (17-4) have played in the final, with the Tide defeating the Cardinals for the fifth time.
Topics
-
Boys hockey: St. Thomas sticks to game plan to win Div. II championship
Mar. 16—MANCHESTER — The game plan for the St. Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team in the NHIAA Division II championship game on Saturday was no different than it had been all season. The Saints wanted ...Yahoo Sports - 14h -
Michigan high school boys basketball: Top players in Division 1-4 state championship games
The Michigan boys basketball championship games took place on Saturday. Here were the standout players in all four divisions.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Kimberly boys fall to Marshfield in Division 1 basketball sectional final
The Kimberly boys basketball team's run through the postseason ended Saturday in the sectional championship game.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
De Pere, Notre Dame fall in boys basketball sectional finals; Bonduel headed to state in Division 4
De Pere in Division 1 and Notre Dame in Division 2 lost their WIAA boys basketball sectional final games Saturday.Yahoo Sports - 22h -
Video replay review used for first time in MIAA hockey state championship
After a controversial ending in last year's MIAA Division 1 boys hockey final, replay review was added. It didn't take long for it to get used.Yahoo Sports - 22h -
Fowler boys basketball reaches state title game with win over Allen Park Inter-City Baptist
Fowler advances to face Wyoming Tri-unity Christian in the Michigan high school boys basketball Division 3 championship game Saturday.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Marlin boys fall to Yankton in state tournament fifth-place game
Mar. 15—WATERTOWN, S.D. — The Mitchell Marlins boys hockey team fell to Yankton 7-4 in the fifth-place game at the South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association state tournament on Saturday in Watertown. ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
College roundup: First period boosts Clarkson, St. Lawrence into NCAA women's hockey quarterfinals
Mar. 14—MADISON, Wis. — The Clarkson University women's hockey team scored two goals in the first six minutes en route to defeating Boston University 3-1 in an NCAA Division I Tournament ...Yahoo Sports - 3d -
With LeBron James looking on, Sierra Canyon captures Division I state title
Maximo Adams helped spur a late rally, and Gavin Hightower finished with 15 points to lead Sierra Canyon past Stockton Lincoln for the state Division I boys' basketball title.Yahoo Sports - 2d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins reportedly both agree to contract extensions with Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have reached contract extensions with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, according to multiple reports.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Steelers agree to sign DL Daniel Ekuale
The Steelers are kicking off the week by making an addition to their defensive line.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Son of former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher will play international soccer. But not for England
The son of former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher has been called up for international duty — by Malta. James Carragher, a defender for Wigan in English soccer’s third tier, ...Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Between the Columns for Monday, March 17
Today will mostly be NCAA Tournament thoughts since we finally know where the Tigers are headed. The Tigers are headed to Wichita for a matchup with the Drake Bulldogs on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. My ...Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva leading contenders if Tottenham sack Ange Postecoglou
Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva will be among the leading candidates to succeed Ange Postecoglou if Tottenham Hotspur feel forced into changing the club’s head coach.Yahoo Sports - 17m
More in Sports
-
WNBA trade grades: Did the defending champion Liberty get even better in trade for Cloud?
Natasha Cloud gives New York another skilled distributor and a stronger defense, while Connecticut gains two first-round picks to help its rebuild.ESPN - 10m -
Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins reportedly both agree to contract extensions with Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have reached contract extensions with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, according to multiple reports.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Steelers agree to sign DL Daniel Ekuale
The Steelers are kicking off the week by making an addition to their defensive line.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Son of former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher will play international soccer. But not for England
The son of former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher has been called up for international duty — by Malta. James Carragher, a defender for Wigan in English soccer’s third tier, ...Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Between the Columns for Monday, March 17
Today will mostly be NCAA Tournament thoughts since we finally know where the Tigers are headed. The Tigers are headed to Wichita for a matchup with the Drake Bulldogs on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. My ...Yahoo Sports - 15m