Wolves NCDC Edge Out Connecticut Junior Rangers in Thrilling Shootout Victory
- James Karr
- Oct 26, 2024
- 2 min read
The West Chester Wolves NCDC team battled their way to a 4-3 shootout victory against the Connecticut Junior Rangers in a tightly contested matchup on Friday afternoon at Chelsea Piers North. The Wolves showed resilience throughout a back-and-forth game, ultimately clinching the win in a shootout.
The Wolves struck first with a goal from Aaron Bleier at 17:29 in the opening period, assisted by Seiya Ishida and Ryan Bradley. However, the Junior Rangers responded minutes later at 15:42 with a goal from Marc-Alexandre Richard, leveling the score at 1-1 as both teams displayed early offensive pressure.
In the second period, West Chester regained the lead when Logan Lambrecht netted a goal at 7:51, assisted by Roman Cicco and Joshua Swan. Just minutes later, Lambrecht found the back of the net again on a power play at 11:15, extending the Wolves’ advantage to 3-1 with assists from Ishida and Bleier. The Wolves' discipline and focus paid off as they outplayed the Rangers, heading into the third with a two-goal lead.
The Junior Rangers came out strong in the final period, determined to close the gap. Lawson Sorokan scored early at 4:59, followed by Mason Moore at 16:07, tying the game at 3-3. The Wolves faced intense pressure but managed to hold off the Rangers as regulation ended.
After a scoreless overtime, the game moved into a shootout. Wolves’ forward Emil Szepesi scored on the first attempt, giving West Chester an early edge. Alec Alfieri then sealed the victory with a second goal, while goaltender Griffin Davis held off both Rangers shooters, leading to the Wolves’ hard-earned win.
Davis was a key factor in the victory, recording 45 saves through regulation and overtime. The Wolves’ strong penalty kill also proved crucial, shutting down all six of the Rangers’ power-play opportunities.
