Three power play goals was the difference maker for Lower Dauphin in the CPIHL Tier 2 Viola Cup championship game Saturday night at Hersheypark Arena.
The Falcons used those three power-play goals to build a three-goal cushion in the second period, then held on for dear life as regular-season champion Hempfield rallied.
Lower Dauphin junior goalie Michael Casamassa made 12 of his 28 saves in the third period to backstop the Falcons to a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Black Knights.
David Schindler, Sean Patt and Jason Shellenberger each scored on the power play for Lower Dauphin to help the Falcons build a 4-1 lead in the final 5 minutes of the second period.
“In the loss to Hempfield earlier in the playoffs they took six or seven penalties and we didn’t score on our power play and had only five shots,” Lower Dauphin first-year coach Shaun Kroeck said. “We had great puck movement on the power play tonight.
“Power play was a big difference maker.”
Lower Dauphin was 3-for-5 on the power play.
“We beat ourselves with the mistakes we had in the first and second period,” Hempfield coach Kenny Rose said. “In a championship game against a team that plays impeccable defense like Lower Dauphin … we helped them.”
Hempfield outshot Lower Dauphin 31-16 and used a Drew Bievenour goal 16 seconds after the Falcons made it 4-1 to set up a dramatic final period.
“We knew we had to weather the storm,” Kroeck said. “We knew they would keep coming.”
And the Black Knights charged hard the final 16 minutes. Casmassa and the Falcons’ strong defense was put to the test.
Connor McGuire scored for Hempfield at 7:17 to make it 4-3 and put even more pressure on Lower Dauphin.
“We did have a lot of scoring chances toward the end,” Rose said. “Their goalie was standing on his head. He played great.”
Casmassa had help from his post with 3:01 to play, but otherwise the junior was stellar the final frantic eight minutes.
“It was tough those last eight minutes,” Casmassa said. “We had some blocked shots and the defense wide and away from the front of the net so I could see everything.”
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