LOWELL -- You can plan for, anticipate or ready yourself almost anything in a particular hockey game.
Almost anything.
What you can never see coming are the fluke plays, the ones that happen at the worst of times and deliver devastating results. That’s how the St. John’s Prep hockey season ended last night. An Austin Prep power play shot from the left circle popped up in the crease, was knocked down by a St. John’s defenseman ... and bounced backwards and over the Eagles’ goal line, proving to be the game-winning goal. That strike, coming with just 2:11 to play in regulation, gave the underdogs from Austin Prep a stunning 2-1 victory over the top-seeded Eagles in the Super 8 semifinals at the Tsongas Center.
“It doesn’t matter how they got it. (Goals) all count the same,” St. John’s Prep coach Kristian Hanson said after his team saw its season end at 19-4-1.
“I thought we played a pretty good game. But we’ve had difficult all year capitalizing ... and tonight it came back to bite us.”
Desperate to tie the score as the clock wound down, the Prep swarmed the Austin Prep zone and got two excellent chances. But Cougars’ sophomore netminder Elijah Harris was immense and was not to be denied, finishing with 28 saves.
“We played our game ... but we didn’t finish, that’s for sure,” said Prep senior captain Brian Pinho, a North Andover resident who had five shots in the first period alone and assisted on the Eagles’ lone goal, a Tyler Bird rebound tally with 8:14 left in the third period to tie the contest. “We controlled the play but just couldn’t score.”
It was the final game of their careers for 16 Prep seniors, who went to three straight Super 8 semifinals (the first time in school history that’s ever been done) and reached the 2011 championship game.
Austin Prep (16-1-6) will meet two-time defending Super 8 champ Malden Catholic in Sunday’s title tilt at the TD Garden in Boston (6 p.m.). Malden Catholic beat Catholic Memorial, 5-3 in yesterday’s other semifinal.
Who has to step up in Utley's absence?
Lazor on who has the upper hand for the Eagles' starting QB job
How much of a concern is Utley's injury?
Davis discusses 'retraining' Cole and Graham in the new system
Gunn and Mosher on the Eagles' defensive scheme and Barkley's arm strength
Briere thinks Bryzgalov wants to remain a Flyer
Briere shares his thoughts on Voracek's car accident
Does Briere have a career in broadcasting after hockey?
Gonzalez on Eagles' talk about the QB race: 'These guys are awful cryptic'
Corbett's view on NCAA lawsuit gaining supporters
Should the Sixers draft Cody Zeller?
Is Utley on the verge of going on the DL?
DeSean Jackson on Chip Kelly's new system
South Jersey native Frank Vogel is ready to face the Heat
Luukko: 'Bryz certainly wasn't the reason we had a disappointing season'
Blame shouldn't all fall on Manuel
Amaro 'not concerned' with Hamels not talking to media
Jawarski and if Chip Kelly's system can work in the NFL
Why was DeSean Jackson tweeting about pot?
Did the NCAA violate antitrust laws with PSU sanctions?
Sportsnet Central: Rangers state of mind
Felger & Mazz: Is it reasonable to start worrying about WIll Middlebrooks?
Felger & Mazz: Caller challenges Felger & Mazz
Sportsnet Central: Tedy Bruschi selected for Patriots Hall of Fame
Rask: 4th line deserved GW goal
Paille on GW goal: 'I had a perfect view on it'
NBA Draft: Top 5 Prospects
Athletes come to aid of Oklahoma tornado victims
Bruins' defenseman Wade Redden On Potential Return
Globe 10.0: Can the Bruins young defensemen keep playing well?
Kevin Dupont discusses Bruins-Rangers Game 2
Globe 10.0: Is Lundqvist the key to the series?
Blakely: Rivers to return to Celtics next season
Globe 10.0: Do the Sox rely too much on Lester and Buchholz?
Bruins Talk About Rangers Blocking Shots
Bruins' Patrice Bergeron On Selke Award, Matchup With Rangers
Julien: 'I'm a tired coach'
Seguin: Thornton said he expected something from me in OT
Rask: 'It's really disappointing'
Julien: 'We've been a Jekyll and Hyde hockey club'
