After coming off of a tough loss to Elmwood Cozumel, Team Visualeyes jumped right back in the saddle to face their cross-town rival, Winter's Whalers on Tuesday evening at Buffalo State Arena. In a chippy, spirited affair, Team V completed a heroic comeback, defeating the Whalers 4-3 in a shootout proving their superiority over the EMHL.
With their backs against the wall, trailing by a goal with under a minute remaining in the contest, the Tioga Terror connected once again to knot the score at 3 for Team V. Visualeyes took advantage of the undisciplined Whalers squad, netting their second power play goal of the evening with just 37 seconds to go. Jerry Crowe-Vivian skated the puck out of Team V's zone and moved it to the EMHL's leading scorer Eric Schottke. Schottke entered the Whale's zone looking to tie the game and found the other half of the Tioga Terror at the blue line. Duffy Dunnigan quickly snapped a no look wrist shot at the net, while faking a back-door pass to Don Borsuk, The rest is history as the puck slid between the legs of the big bodied D-man, Drew Leberer-Kasperczyk screening the Whaler's goalie.
Visualeyes took that momentum into the shootout as Matt Baudo stopped both Brayden Biskup and Jimmy LeLayer while Shottke and Bob Simpson-Corigliano sealed the deal at the other end.
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| DUNNIGAN NETS 2 |
Down 1-0 and on the power-play, Simpson-Corigliano netted his 7th goal of the year past the glove of the Whaler's goalie on a 2 on 1 pass from Matt Mesi.
With the playoffs right around the corner, the intensity level heated up on the first shift in the second period with a few post whistle meetings. The Whale, unable to deal with one on one battles in front of their net, retaliated with 3rd-man-in penalties acting like little fish. Team V skated through the stick work and took the lead with 3 minutes remaining in the second. Dunnigan put home a Schottke pass on a fast rush for his 19th goal of the year. Winter's Whale answered back with two quick goals in the third to take the lead.
Visualeyes and the Whale battled back and forth for the remaining ten minutes of the game until Dunnigan put home his 20th on the year to tie the game at 3.
"It was a big game last night. You could tell the Whale were nervous. They brought a full roster with the anticipation of playing goon hockey. They figured "we can't skate with Team V, we might as well take penalties, sacrifice our guys, so the V would have to forfeit." Pretty much the only way they can beat us. But we are the champs, everyone comes gunning for us, we've learned to keep our cool, play our game and keep earning W's." said Ryan Donnelly.
After the win, shifty forward Mike Denz summed up the game. "There's no better feeling than sticking it to a bunch of whiners."
NEWS AND NOTES:
-Bob Simpson-Corigliano will be seeing a jaw specialist after being K.O.'d by #14 of the Whale. He is listed as day to day.
-Team Visualeyes Owner, Dave Leberer, recorded his first ever NHL assist Monday evening against the Winnipeg Jets. Buffalo Sabres winger, Corey Tropp, tore a contact in the first period of the game and struggled with finding an extra lens. As the official contact lens provider for the Sabres, Leberer spoke with Tropp via text message with his perscription and lens information during the first intermission. Minutes after returning to the game with improved vision, Tropp buried his second career NHL goal, tying the game at one.
-Team V has secured home ice in the EMHL Playoffs and tickets will be available on March 14th.
-Visualeyes' record improved to 18-4-2 with the win over Winter's Whalers.
