Monsters Mash Bears Late Again, Force Game 7
The best way to sum up Monday night’s game six of the eastern conference finals was breaths. Holding breaths during times of stress, huge reliefs when needed most, and the ultimate gasp when things officially went south.
The final gasp occurred when the Cleveland Monsters scored the game winner in the first overtime. With 2:29 until the end of the first overtime period, Jake Christiansen found the net, officially bringing the Monsters back to tie the series, 3-3, with a 3-2 win at GIANT Center.
17 minutes went by in the first and it was neck and neck. Plenty of solid pushes from both sides, and then Cleveland found the go-ahead from Owen Sillinger. Minutes later, Sillinger hit the penalty box, putting the Monsters on the penalty kill. Hershey made a solid attempt on the power play but time was not on their side, as the first period horn blew and sent us to the second period.
It would take more than half of the second period, but a deep breath was collectively shared throughout GIANT Center when Henrik Rybinski rocketed one to the net, equalizing the game and resetting the game to a blank slate with 29:23 left of game time.
As the third period clock kept winding and winding down, overtime was probable, more probable, then imminent, bound to happen.
As the loud speaker opened up and blared the words “One minute remaining, one minute!”, the Bears began a push to the offensive zone, where they got a shot off from Joe Snively that was tipped in to the net. Perhaps the loudest roar of the playoffs took over Hershey, and may have been heard from rooms at the Hershey Lodge, tables at the Arooga’s in Hummelstown, and venues across the area. Fans rejoiced and the feeling from overtime shifted to something else: a trip back to the Calder Cup Finals.
In fact, people all around the arena began to pack up and head out of their seats, certain that the Bears would be able to kill the next 49.3 seconds and finish the game and series.
Everyone was wrong.
17 seconds later, Brendan Gaunce shocked the arena. He scored and knotted things right back up at 2-2 to send us back to the previously looming overtime.
In that overtime, it was similar to the first period. Pushes from both sides, but in the end, Cleveland had the final breath and the final say. Jake Christiansen buried the final goal, and now, the series is even at 3-3 with an unlikely game seven upon us.
Monsters head coach Trent Vogelhuber spoke after the game, saying “I felt good about a lot of the hockey we played when we were down 3-0, so the belief and the confidence in our ability to beat that team in one game didn’t waiver.”
Game seven is in Hershey on Wednesday night at 7 PM, and game one of the Calder Cup Finals is Friday night, whether it’s Hershey or Cleveland representing one side.
