VISUALEYES WINS, FORCES GAME 3 in EMHL FINALS

With their backs against the wall in a must win situation, Visualeyes answered the bell, beating Elmwood Cozumel 4-3 Tuesday evening in front of a record breaking crowd at Buffalo State Arena. With the victory, Visualeyes forced a Game 3, in the best of 3 series, to decide the EMHL Title, Sunday at 7:50pm.

Two nights after Visualeyes blew a 2 goal lead in the final 10 minutes to lose Game 1, they jumped out to an early lead off the hot stick of Garren Reisweber. Reisweber, the National Champion from Oswego, got a stick on a blistering shot from Matt English-Gunning on a D to D pass from Drew Leberer. Scoring the first goal has been the key in almost every playoff game this year and Team V knew it was important to get on the board first against Cozumel.

Cozumel came right back to tie the game one minute later, and then dominated the rest of the first period, scoring three unanswered goals, taking a 3-1 lead into the second frame of Game 2.

SPEED KILLS

Visualeyes' speed and skating proved to be too much for Cozumel as they cut a rut right to the penalty box with the constant hooking and use of their sticks to try and slow Team V down. Visualeyes capitalized on the power play when former Geneseo St. All-American, English-Gunning's streaked up the right hand boards and found Reisweber back door to bring the score within 1. Visualeyes kept the pressure on Cozumel, drawing another hooking penalty with their blazing speed to go on the power-play. The SUNYAC connection continued, this time an Oswego Laker (Reisweber) found a different Geneseo Ice-Knight, Dan Brown, for a thunderous one-time goal to knot the score at 3 with 7 minutes remaining in the second period. Dusty Dunnigan provided the initial pass out to Reisweber to set up Brown.

After the Visualeyes tied up the score, the game turned ugly. On a delayed penalty after one of the many caged "men" from Coz, laid out Ryan Donnelly with a head check, Team V kept the pressure on in Cozumel's zone, working the puck well 6 on 5. After goaltender Dave Reed from Cozumel froze the puck, a scrum initiated in front of the crease with cross checks and punches exchanged from each side. The head referee felt he wasn't getting involved enough on the score-sheet so he decided to give Max Bonito a 5 minute Major and Game misconduct for his actions in front. Visualeyes, already faced with a short bench, would now have to kill off an extended penalty just to keep the score tied at 3 without a key member of their squad. "That team is a bunch of limp wristed, bird cage wearing floozies and they make me barf! Plus, to chase a ref off the ice after the game is just gutless." commented Andrew Valint after the win.

ENGLISH-GUNNING FINALLY CONTRIBUTES!!

Visualeyes did indeed kill off the penalty and held on to the 3-3 tie going into the final period. As the refs continued to feel the need to contribute to the game, Andrew Valint was awarded a 2 minute holding penalty after a collision with a Cozumel player. Off the ensuing faceoff, English Gunning picked up a loose puck, split the defense and buried the the puck on his forehand, just inside of the right post. "The SUNYAC has proven to be a great feeder system to the EMHL" said English-Gunning, "The connection between Geneseo and Oswego was there tonight and I just hope someone had me in Fantasy Men's League....1 Goal (SH, GWG) and 2 apples, no big deal though."

Visualeyes held on to the 4-3 lead to win the game for the remaining 10 minutes, but it was not easy. Visualeyes had only 10 skaters remaining after Bonito was tossed, while Cozumel's troops stood fresh with 18 skaters. Adam Roma backstopped the effort, making several key saves in the lasting minutes to hold onto the win.

"It was a great team effort, especially in the third. We battled a lot of adversity in the second with the penalties, but to hoist the EMHL Cup, good teams have to step up to the challenge" said Ryan Donnelly. "Killing off those penalties turned the momentum our way, and we rolled with it. Roma played huge again and when Matty scored that go ahead goal, it was the break we needed to take control of this series."

Visualeyes heads into Game 3 on Sunday, looking to win their second EMHL Cup in three years.


NEWS AND NOTES:
-Max Bonito will have to sit out the final Game of the Finals due to the unnecessary suspension handed out to him after the Game 2 victory.

-Game 3 is Sunday, April 17th @ 7:50pm. Limited seats are available. COME OUT AND SUPPORT TEAM V!!!

-Matt Mesi looks to make a strong comeback Sunday evening after missing Tuesday's game with an upper/lower body injury.