For the first time in 14 years, the Marlboro-Holmdel Hockey team is bringing home some hardware from the Shore Conference.
The Handchen Cup was a story of the underdog. Marlboro, the sixth seed, and Howell, the fifth seed, both found their place in the championship, upsetting strong programs including Manalapan and Rumson Fair-Haven along the way. Having fought their way through the first two rounds, both squads were prepared to give it their all.
As expected, the game got off to a physical start, with the high stakes apparent on the ice. Both teams traded off strong offensive zone possessions to begin. Just over two minutes in, Howell’s Matt Cartigiano put the Rebels up 1-0, weaving from the left circle and ripping a wrister. A few moments later, Ethan Cash was called for a penalty, putting the Mustangs on the penalty kill. With some strong defense on the kill by seniors Kyle Rabkin and Denis Revzin, Marlboro was able to run the clock on the two minute minor. This victory was short lived though, as Howell put one in the back of the net soon after, increasing their lead to 2-0. Sophomore Sasha Saks then opened the scoring for Marlboro, firing a shot from just inside the zone. The remainder of the period proved to be a battle, with the Rebels wanting to keep their lead and the Mustangs looking to tie before the period’s closure. With just over a minute to go, Marlboro was called for tripping, putting the Rebels a man-up. Hayden Nubile was able to tip one past goalie David Furman with 40 seconds to go, ending the period with a score of 3-1.
The resilience that put Marlboro through the first two rounds, however, was not lost. The magic found its way back in the second, as evident by their dominating effort throughout the period. With two quick goals, the Mustangs made it a whole new game. Sasha Saks found the back of the net once more, capitalizing off of a rebound from a Klobuchar shot. Saks, once again, made it a one goal game. Not even one minute later, Cameron Estok and Alen Grigorian, the team’s two leading scorers, connected for another. Estok flew down the right wing, dragging his defender down and leaving Grigorian wide open in the slot. Phillip Revzin capped off the period, finishing off a 2 on 1. The momentum shift was evident on the ice, the Mustangs now leading 4-3. The offensive burst paired with a stellar period by Furman had changed the course of the game. However, there was still twenty minutes of hockey left to play.
The Rebels came out with vengeance to start the third. They maintained pressure in the offensive zone, putting the Mustangs on their heels. After a two minute long shift in the O-zone, they were able to even the score. Stakes were higher now than ever, both teams eager to take home the cup. In an outstanding individual effort, Cameron Estok chipped the puck from his backhand to his forehand, passing his defender along the way, and sending the puck to the back of the net. The energy in the arena was palpable, as the Mustangs had taken a one goal lead with under eight minutes remaining. Three minutes later, Tyler Scarpino sealed the deal with an unlikely shot from the blue like which snuck past the Howell goaltender, increasing their lead to 6-4. As the clock reached zero, the electricity on the ice was immeasurable. Players threw their helmets and gloves in celebration, jumping into the stands of the student section. After a season of hard work and perseverance, the Mustangs were rewarded with the Handchen Cup.
Last season, Marlboro was 2-4 in the Shore. This season they are Shore Conference Champions and rewriting the history of the program.
