Five unanswered goals later, SJR is headed to the Gordon Cup semifinals.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the Green Knights stormed back to defeat Princeton Day School 5-2 on Wednesday night in the Gordon Cup quarterfinals.
In the first period, things were looking very rocky for SJR as nine minutes into the first period, Princeton Day notched the opening goal. Then, with just under 13 seconds remaining in the period, the Panthers connected with the back of the net a second time. This made things 2-0 heading into the first intermission.
I basically said to the kids, 'It's not the first time in your life you've gone down 2-0. There's no need for panic, just keep playing the way we play," said Coach Matt Juneau.
There was no panic from the Green Knights heading into the second period, and SJR immediately responded. Just over five minutes into the period, Shane Papaccioli gave SJR hope with a goal that cut the Panthers' lead down to just one.
That first goal was gritty," said Coach Juneau.
"The guys went to the net, banged bodies, and did everything that we really wanted them to do."
The Green Knights continued the momentum as Dante Mangarelli buried a shot and tied things up at two just a minute later.
SJR wasn't done. With a little over six minutes left in the period, Milan Kutsevich gave SJR its first lead of the evening, and the Green Knights would go into the second intermission up 3-2.
With the one goal lead with 15 minutes to play, SJR just needed to hold down the fort, and they would be moving on to the semifinals.
"Only being up by a goal, one shot could have made it 3-3 and completely changed the entire game," said Coach Juneau.
The Green Knights would go on to lock up the win and give themselves some breathing room after goals from Kyle Kondratowicz and Mateos Garipian made it 5-2.
Next up, the Green Knights will face Don Bosco for the fourth time this year. SJR lost the first two match ups 2-1, while in they defeated the Ironmen 2-1 in the Bergen County tournament finals.
Heading into the Wednesday night, Coach Juneau knows what to expect, and so does his team.
"I think it's going to be a tight game, probably one goal like it always is," said Coach Juneau.
"It's going to be physical, it's going to be fast.?I'm going to tell the guys not to get too high or too low in the game, just play smart. The only thing you can control is yourself, and that's it."
With a spot in the Gordon Cup finals on the line, SJR will head to the Ice Vault in Wayne to face Don Bosco with puck drop at 7:30 pm Wednesday night.
