BY JONATHAN SKUZA
FAIRPORT, N.Y.– Every high school athlete anticipates the day of their senior night from when they make a varsity sports team. They dream of hearing their name called and receiving an ovation from the home crowd as they celebrate them and their classmates. Ultimately, they want to perform well in front of the home spectators.
Seniors Matthew Oberer and Alex Goldan achieved that, as they lifted the Fairport Red Raiders to a 3-2 overtime victory against the Hilton Cadets, Tuesday night.
Goldan scored the game-winner with 1:07 remaining in the sudden death period.
“It’s always amazing to get a game-winner but especially on senior night in front of your home crowd’s just amazing,” Goldan said of his overtime goal.
“He is someone that always works hard and it was nice to see him get rewarded with a great tip today in overtime,” Fairport head coach Chris Moretter stated.”It’s such a crucial spot. I’m very happy for him. I’m very happy for all nine of our seniors. They’ve worked so hard and they’ve given so much to this program. It’s nice to see them be rewarded for that.”
The first period of this Division 1 matchup saw Fairport dominate the shot charts and puck possession. The Red Raiders found themselves swarming Cadets goaltender Aidan Hill with 17 shots in the first. Hill turned all of them aside as he stood strong against a Fairport team that seemed amped up from the festivities that happened before the puck dropped. Hilton was only able to put four shots on Fairport’s John Houppert.
The Cadets struck first on the powerplay with a goal from Aidan Kennedy who ended a two-game pointless streak to give Hilton the lead in the second period.
Oberer tied the game up not even 20 seconds later with a beautiful goal for Fairport. The goal was Oberer’s first of the season. Fellow senior Cody Kaiser tallied his first of two assists on the night.
Hilton snatched back the lead with another powerplay goal 1:11 after its first man-up marker. Casey Hanrahan put one home to regain the lead. The goal was Hanrahan’s first powerplay goal of the season and third powerplay point.
Fairport still led heavily in shots with a 26-12 advantage, but not getting the results they wanted on the scoreboard trailing by a goal going into the final period of regulation.
Oberer found the back of the net for the second time when his team needed him the most. He tied the game again for the Red Raiders with Kaiser picking up his second assist.
“It makes me feel good going into a big game Saturday against Pittsford,” Oberer stated about his performance. “It feels good to get some momentum going.”
“Matt is very crafty with the puck and tonight it showed,” Moretter stated about Oberer’s two-goal night. “He was able to not only possess the puck but protect the puck. He was able to make plays off that. He had two great goals.”
Fairport made a late push in the period but, could not prevail and for the fourth time this season, they saw themselves going to overtime. The Red Raiders had not won nor lost in extra time as their previous three games that went to overtime ended in ties.
Goldan sealed their first overtime win of the season with a great tipped shot to send the home fans home happy on a night of celebration.
“It feels good,” Moretter stated.”We’ve already had three ties so far this year. We really didn’t want to have a fourth. Hilton’s goalie played really well tonight. Especially in the first period when we jumped on him, but we really had nothing to show for it because he was really good back there. We could’ve got frustrated, but our boys stayed with it.”
Fairport (3-4-3) will look to make it two in a row as they will go the road to play rival Pittsford on January 7.
Hilton (4-8-0) will try to end their losing streak as they will take on fellow arena mate Irondequoit on January 6.
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