By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
Some traditions in sports never fade away, carried on through the years even as players move on.
Like the tradition of the Webster Thomas Titans hockey team gathering at T’s Family Restaurant in Webster for breakfast.
And like that same Thomas hockey program winning sectional championships.
Powered by goals from Ethan Stappenbeck, Michael Dowden, Jason Tucker and Mike Swartzenberg, and buoyed by a tenacious defense and the big-save goaltending of Jackson Gruttadauria, the Titans defeated Aquinas Institute 4-2 to win the Section V Class B title Sunday afternoon at SUNY Brockport’s Tuttle Ice Arena.
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The victory in the title game added yet another championship block to the school’s trophy case. The top-seeded Titans have won three of the past four and eight of the past 15 (2008, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’13, ’19, ’20 and now ’22).
“I grew up watching the game and knew we kind of had to do it to carry on the tradition,” said Tucker, whose goal from the deep slot off a centering pass by Cole Burton at 7:45 of the second period gave Thomas a 3-1 lead and stood up as the game-winner.
Cresimanni feeds Jason Tcker in front for a 3-1 @UpdatedTitans lead pic.twitter.com/TaPafTgrn6
— Tim Irving (@Irvish5) February 27, 2022
One tradition wasn’t maintained this year, however, for the 16-3-2 Titans. In the past, Thomas players en masse bleached their hair in a gold tone that matched the school color.
“We gave some guys haircuts instead,” senior defenseman Aidan Stappenbeck said. “We decided we might as well look good and play good at the same time.”
They certainly did that, especially when big plays were needed in the defensive zone in the third period during a never-ending onslaught by Aquinas (16-6-1).
And when there were breakdowns or times when the Li’l Irish forwards were difficult to contain, Gruttadauria made every necessary save.
“Bend but don’t break,” Thomas coach David Evans said. “Our guys did a great job battling defensively. Playoff hockey is all about being good in all zones.”
The teams had traded first-period goals – Ethan Stappenbeck for Thomas, Connor Mangone for Aquinas – but th Li’l Irish had been chasing the Titans since the second period.
All brothers so far, CJ Mangone chops a puck across and Connor Mangone b in the 1-1 equalizer for @aquinaspuck pic.twitter.com/fmnTKLRHm5
— Tim Irving (@Irvish5) February 27, 2022
Dowden had scored to break the 1-1 tie at 5:16 of the second, then Tucker pushed the lead to 3-1 just 2:29 later.
AQ quickly retaliated, pulling within 3-2 at 8:29 when Iesa Mohammed darted down the right of the slot and fired a shot past Gruttadauria.
But the score wouldn’t change for the rest of the second, and for the first 16 minutes of the third. Well, at least officially.
Second-seeded Aquinas believed it had tied the score at just 1:17 into the third period when Connor Carey, positioned in the high slot, fired home a pass from Tony Terrana.
But as the Li’l Irish celebrated, the referees waved off the goal, ruling the net had been knocked off the moorings well before the shot entered the net. The ruling was correct, but AQ coach Chuck Dossier wasn’t sure the rule was interpreted correctly.
His contention was that the net coming off – after incidental contact by Gruttadauria on an earlier save – didn’t impact the play.
“That was a tough one,” Dossier said. “I’m still not sure. But I give my guys a ton of credit, they never game up.
“Obviously I wish we were on the other end of it but I’m so proud of this group.”
The Titans withstood constant pressure by Aquinas and then finally clinched the victory when Swartzenberg’s clearing pass banked off the boards and curled into an empty net with 55.9 seconds remaining.
“The intensity, the packed house, these kids are going to remember this for the rest of their lives,” Evans said. “This is such a great group. They care for each other, they love each other.”
They also love carrying on a Thomas tradition.
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