Ceccanese Scores OT Thriller for Falcons
By St. Catharines Falcons Staff
March 26, 2008
The St. Catharines Mountainview Falcons opened their Golden
Horseshoe Division championship best-of-seven series against
the Thorold Blackhawks inside Thorold's Community Arena
Wednesday night and they continued their winning ways with
an exciting 3-2 overtime period victory. The win gives St.
Catharines a 1-0 series lead over Thorold.
The lone goal of the first period came from Thorold's
Zach Graham on the power-play at the 13:54 minute mark. Ryan
Bellows and Shane Davidson assisted while Falcons defenseman
Andre Abayof sat in the penalty box for roughing after the
whistle.
Thorold extended their lead to 2 goals with Graham's
second power-play goal of the evening. Kevin Ward and
Bellows added helpers on the Blackhawks goal at the 17:40
mark of the second period.
The Mountainview Falcons finally jumped onto the
scoreboard late in the second period, with a power-play goal
of their own with less than a minute to play. Riley Sheahan
grabbed his third goal of the playoffs, 25th on the season,
to cut Thorold's lead to 2-1. Adam Moroney and Kevin Floris
recorded assists on the goal at 19:36.
The third period was a nail-biter for Falcons fans as the
Blackhawks applied the pressure through out most of the
period. Just past the halfway point of the period, however,
St. Catharines scored to tie the game 2-2 with 8:05 to play.
Daultan Leveille netted his 9th postseason goal, 38th on the
year, to even the game with an even-strength marker. Falcons
forwards Brad Jackson and Chris Stevenson helped out with
assists on the tying goal.
Overtime was needed to solve this matchup as both goalies
put on shows in the third period to keep the game tied.
Finally, it was Stephen Ceccanese who beat Thorold's
netminder Rick Scarsella on a 2-on-1 breakaway with JT
MacDonald at the 13:58 mark of the first overtime period.
Streaking in, MacDonald made a great pass over to Ceccanese,
who buried his shot into the Thorold net. Game #1 was
finally settled after almost 74 minutes of hockey with the
Falcons bench cleared on to the ice in celebration.
Attendance reported on Pointstreak for Wednesday's game
was 1,739.
Game #2 of the best-of-seven final series takes place
this Friday inside Jack Gatecliff Arena. Game time is set
for 7:30pm.
Advanced tickets are on sale for all Falcons home games
at the Donut Diner, located at 261 Martindale Road, and at
the Avondale Store, located at the corner of Scott and
Bunting Roads, both in St. Catharines.
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