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RYE, N.Y. -- Pelham's ice hockey team had just allowed the final one minute and 45 seconds of four-minute power play in the first period to be wiped out because of a penalty.
This made it even strength and gave Rye a confidence boost. It would not last long.
Pelham kept its poise and responded with two goals in a span of 2:41 in the first period of a 5-0 victory in a matchup of Section 1s top two Division II hockey teams at Playland Wednesday.
The Pelicans won for the sixth time in their last seven games, including a current three-game streak. It was also Pelhams third straight shutout as goalie Josh Borofsky handled 25 shots. The Pelicans, now 12-5, have allowed three goals in their last six wins.
Colin Reilly scored the first goal of the game and later added an assist and Andrew Schauer had two assists.
It lights a fire under us, said Reilly of when the Pelicans play Rye. Rye is something special. It is always a battle with them. It is a rivalry that has been going back and forth for years.
Pelham earned the first power play of the game with relentless fore checking, resulting in a Rye player receiving a four-minute major for boarding. The Pelicans were generating shots and scoring chances, but Rye held strong and forced a Pelham penalty on a clearing attempt by Chris Lipari.
Pelhams fore checking resulted in the first goal. Schauer intercepted a clearing pass along with the left-wing board. He skated to his right and, with Reilly cutting across toward the goal, wristed a shot on goal that Reilly deflected in at the 6:04 mark.
Andrew saw me, Reilly said. He knows the game so well. When he has the puck and he sees one of us going to the net, he will put the pass on net looking for the deflection, Reilly said.
Two minutes and 45 seconds later, Will Cullen led a two-on-one into Ryes zone. Cullen faked a pass, freezing Ryes defenseman, then snapped a wrist shot home, doubling Pelhams lead.
That was a huge boost for us, going in at the end of the first period with a 2-0 lead, Borofsky said.
Rye had two major opportunities in the second period to close the gap, only to have Pelham be aggressive with its penalty kill.
The Garnets had a three-minute power play midway through the period, then added a second man-advantage situation with five minutes remaining.
Coach always pounds into our heads that we have to be aggressive when killing penalties, Reilly said. When you apply some pressure that is when you will force a team to turn it over.
Pelham led 2-0 in the third period when Rye drew a two-man advantage. During the power play, Ryan Rogers broke out in a two-on-one. Skating down the right wing, Rogers closed in an unleashed a wrist shot that clanged off the post, much to the chagrin of the Rye crowd.
Reilly credited the defense and Borofsky for playing an excellent game, capped by the shut out. Even with the win, Reilly said he is sure of one thing.
Rye is definitely a great team and we expect to see them again, in the playoffs, he said.
Pelham 2 0 3 -- 5 Rye 0 0 0 -- 0
Goals -- Colin Reilly, Will Cullen, David Morgan, Will Donovan, Danny Shea. Assists -- Andrew Schauer 2, Andrew Dzenis, Reilly, Shea. Saves -- Josh Borofsky 25; R: Aidan Talgo 30.
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