State College ice hockey defeats Central Cambria, averts controversy on Senior Night
Senior Night was altered significantly for State College ice hockey on Thursday night, but the crisis was ultimately averted.
The Little Lions won despite goalie John Olsen being disqualified with 15:48 left in the first period due to Laurel Mountain Hockey League rules on wearing neck guards. Olsen was replaced by defender Joey Franklin in the net and the Little Lions went on to win 7-2.
Franklin hadn’t played goalie since the eighth grade. Suiting up in the net was something that he didn’t necessarily expect to do in high school, but it was something that he prepared for in case of an emergency.
“As soon as Johnny (Olsen) got kicked out, I knew that I was going to have to step up and play goalie or else, we were going to lose,” Franklin said. “That was a big game for us. So, I was just trying to stop any puck that I could to keep us in the game.”
Little Lions head coach David Lee wasn’t sure what to make of the situation. An EMT walked onto the ice and yelled to Olsen to leave the game. Meanwhile, State College possibly could have forfeited the game or played the entirety of the matchup with no goalie.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Lee said. “I’m hoping to never see anything like it again. You put a guy in a high school hockey game who hasn’t played goalie in a long time. Joey’s a good athlete and we’ve always kind of joked around over the years that Joey used to play when he was little, ‘Sometime, we’re going to need you Joey. So, keep those tools sharpened up.’ Lo and behold, this was it. He stepped up for the team and really played well.”
Thomas Hay had two assists and two goals on the night for the Little Lions. His goal was to put the Red Devils away with no chance to return. He used the team’s rage to fuel him. His confidence wasn’t lacking.
“We were a little angry, but I was pretty sure we would win,” Hay said. “This team (State College) was very good. From the start we had them, I just think we had to execute.”
Following the kerfuffle that took place on the ice, Central Cambria took advantage of the opportunity with no one in net. Braden Sweeney scored with 14:41 remaining in the first period to give the Red Devils a 1-0 lead. State College fired back with a goal just six seconds later from Alex McGuire, assisted by David Lee for the 1-1 tie. Franklin was fully suited up and ready to go with 10:35 left in the period and he took the net for the Little Lions.
The Little Lions wouldn’t look back.
McGuire scored his second goal of the night in the second period off of an assist from Sam Palmer (13:07). Zander Faust had an unassisted goal with 7:42 left in the period for State College to give them a 3-1 lead.
Ben Lee scored his first goal of the night with 16:40 left in the third period, followed by Faust’s second goal, assisted by Hay (15:17). Faust scored yet another goal assisted by Hay (5:31). Then, Central Cambria’s Brady Sheehan scored off of an assist by Sweeney immediately after, followed by back-to-back goals by Hay, both assisted by Luke Janac for the 7-2 victory.
“I just played normally,” Janac said. “I know I had to play even harder than I normally do. I just needed to block as many shots as I could, get in the lane and move quicker.”
State College 7, Central Cambria 2
1 2 3
State College 1 2 4
Central Cambria 1 0 1
1st Period Summary
Central Cambria — Braden Sweeney (14:41)
State College — Alex McGuire, assisted by David Lee (14:35)
2nd Period Summary
State College — Alex McGuire, assisted by Sam Palmer (13:07)
State College — Zander Faust (7:42)
3rd Period Summary
State College — Zander Faust, assisted by Thomas Hay (15:17)
State College — Zander Faust, assisted by Thomas Hay (5:31)
Central Cambria — Brady Sheehan, assisted by Braden Sweeney (5:29)
State College — Thomas Hay, assisted by Luke Janac (4:42)
State College — Thomas Hay, assisted by Luke Janac (2:50)
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 12:09 AM.
