“You can’t teach that!”
A comeback win is a rare art form that not a lot of successful teams can master. The shootout thriller between the Icepack and the Virginia Tech Hokies was a great example of heart on display.
Under 10 minutes into the game, the Hokies go up 2-0 over the Pack. It was as rough of a start as you can get. But to the credit of the Pack, they were able to buckle down defensively and hold the Hokies to that 2-0 lead going into the second period, where they would begin the comeback.
The Hokies took a penalty towards the end of the 1st period, and the Icepack started with a power play advantage in the second period.
As stated in my article from a week prior to today, the NC State power play is a momentum generator that any other team does not want to face. Also, as mentioned as the “this guy is fun to watch” player of the week last week for his power play performance, who else but Garrett Auriene to bury it and launch the momentum shift? The gnat strikes again. You can’t leave this guy alone within 20ft of a goalie on the power play.
(Dear ACCHL coaches, I’m available for scouting. Just saying.)
The defensive work of the Pack also played off towards the end of the second period, as a turnover in the offensive zone was capitalized on by “The Weather Man” Drew Bresingham and Joey Davidson, evening the score at 2-2 with just under 6 minutes to play.
2 MINUTES LATER:
Not wasting any time, Parker Szarek links up with Alex Robinson, who buries it on the backhand (remember this for later) and puts the pack up 2-3. Normally, this is where the pack steps on the gas and blows away their opponents, but during this game, they were in for another gut check.
A breakaway turnover in the Pack defensive zone led to the tying goal by the Hokies, bringing them up to an even 3-3.
At this point, the game would become a stalemate, lasting through the end of the period, and overtime with a 3-3 tie. How else to end this snow day but with a good old fashioned shootout?
Shootout highlights
Let’s not forget about our goalies. They’re weird. Objectively. Most of them are the type to have a tooth collection hidden somewhere in their room, but when you’re in a shootout scenario, you need to know that your goalie has ice in his veins. The mental game of a goalie is one that would frighten most people, which is why you have to tip your hat to Eric Daniel and his performance in the shootout. He was calm and collected the entire time, playing some beautiful angles to keep the shooters guessing. During one shot, you can see that he leaves just enough room on his glove side to entice the shooter to try and take that lane, once the shooter bit, Daniel already had an angle on him to where it would be very difficult to go back to the blocker side. The shooter had to commit to a bad angle, which Daniel had set up for him, and ended up having to take a shot from the goal line. And people think this is just a “reaction” game…
Alex Robinson pulled off an absolute beauty of a goal. Inward slalom from the right side lane into the center, stares down the goalie, and says: “I got your poke check right here, pal…” and roofs it on the backhand (again). It may sound simple, but to pull that backhand off with such precise timing takes hours and hours of practice.
How about Matt Miller with the game winner? After seeing the previous success with “out-waiting” the goalie, he drove to the far left side of the rink, angling as if he were going to shoot straight on, and at the last second, pulls the pump fake, waits about 45 minutes for the goalie to respond as he cut across the front of the net from left to right, and buried it with utter disrespect as the goalie over extends on the dive.
It is a scary thought for an opposing team to face a top 5 ranked team who knows how to come back from a deficit. Often, top ranked teams know how to be the hammer, but not the nail. This team has now shown several times that they have the versatility to play from above or below, which is dangerous heading into the final games of the season.
Next up for the Icepack is UNC Wilmington, and after that, only 4 games left until the ACCHL tournament.
Alex Robinson pulled off an absolute beauty of a goal. Inward slalom from the right side lane into the
center, stares down the goalie, and says: “I got your poke check right here, pal…” and roofs it on the
backhand (again). It may sound simple, but to pull that backhand off with such precise timing takes
hours and hours of practice.
How about Matt Miller with the game winner? After seeing the previous success with “out-waiting” the
goalie, he drove to the far left side of the rink, angling as if he were going to shoot straight on, and at the
last second, pulls the pump fake, waits about 45 minutes for the goalie to respond as he cut across the
front of the net from left to right, and buried it with utter disrespect as the goalie over extends on the
dive.
It is a scary thought for an opposing team to face a top 5 ranked team who knows how to come back
from a deficit. Often, top ranked teams know how to be the hammer, but not the nail. This team has
now shown several times that they have the versatility to play from above or below, which is dangerous
heading into the final games of the season.
Next up for the Icepack is UNC Wilmington, and after that, only 4 games left until the ACCHL
tournament.
