Soper Scores to Lift Taconic Past McCann Tech in OT
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Cody Soper Wednesday gave the Taconic hockey team the only lead neither team could erase.
Soper scored on a rebound from the right wing faceoff circle in the second minute of overtime to give the Thunder a 7-6 win over McCann Tech at the Boys and Girls Club.
Taconic fought back from deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 and lost leads of 4-3 and 5-4 before erasing a 6-5 deficit in the final two minutes of regulation to force OT.
The county’s only two high school hockey programs drew a big crowd to the Club, and they did not disappoint, providing hard hitting, high scoring and, of course, wild swings of emotion for 45 minutes and then some.
“It feels great,” Soper said. “We’ve been working toward stuff like this. We haven’t been able to really finish games lately, so that’s something coach has really been harping on us for. We really just had to take it one step at a time, one goal at a time.
“Before the game, we had a lot of motivation going into this game. For the seniors, it’s a big game. And we came out and we executed.”
Soper had a hat trick and set up a goal in the win for Taconic.
The Thunder got 26 saves from Hunter Shepardson, one of a half dozen seniors honored in Senior Night ceremonies before faceoff.
“This was probably the biggest game of our season yet,” Shepardson said. “This is our rival. This is our last game. So a lot of emotions running.”
Taconic does have more hockey ahead of it, including a rematch with the Hornets on Feb. 15 in North Adams.
But in a season of close contests – all but one game for the 5-4-2 Thunder have been decided by two goals or fewer – none was closer or bigger than this one.
“I’m proud of both teams,” McCann Tech coach Matt Parise said. “Because we know a lot of kids on both teams. They’ve all played against each other all their lives.
“They’re all friends and stuff. We didn’t want to make the game bigger than it was. It’s just a game. … And I think both teams did a good job of demonstrating that. I think the game was played with class, and the kids respected each other. And that part was great to see.”
Given the game’s physical nature, the teams combined for 12 penalties, but they gave up just two power play goals.
Soper’s man-up goal midway through the first period set the tone for the night as he responded to an early score by Dallas Ritcher (one goal, two assists) for the game’s first tie.
Mason Rondeau (goal, assist) scored on a rebound to put the Hornets ahead, 2-1, at the first intermission.
“They took it to us in the first period,” Taconic coach Matt Risley said. “And when we went in the locker room, I told them that. I always say, the team that skates the hardest and wins the one-on-one battles is gonna win. That’s just hockey.
“And to their credit, they kind of woke up a little bit and started playing better.”
Taconic outshot McCann Tech, 14-10, in the second period, which ended in a 3-3 tie after Eric Harrington (two goals, one assist) slipped a shot past McCann Tech keeper Ben Harrington.
Harrington made 30 saves, including three in overtime.
“Ben played outstanding,” Parise said of the sophomore netminder. “And people have to realize, he hasn’t played hockey in almost two years. So to come out this season, jump back into playing and play like he’s playing – that’s a testament to him. He’s working really hard, and he did a great job.”
After the teams combined for six goals in the first two periods, they exploded for six goals between them in the third.
Taconic struck first when Ethan Bishop lit the lamp 2 minutes, 47 seconds in to make it 4-3, Thunder. Thirty-one seconds later, Hayden Bona scored the first of his two goals in the span of less than a minute as the Hornets went on top, 5-4.
Eric Harrington tied it at 5-5 with 10:34 left to play.
The teams then traded empty power plays before McCann Tech’s Nolan Booth (goal, assist) scored off assists from Ritcher and Gabe Lescarbeau to give the Hornets a 6-5 lead with 5:09 remaining.
The visitors had a golden opportunity to stretch that advantage when Taconic drew a penalty with 4:31 remaining. But the Thunder’s penalty kill unit held up to hold McCann Tech to 1-for-4 on the man advantage.
With 1:23 left, Risley pulled Shepardson with Taconic looking at an offensive zone faceoff.
The Hornets won the draw into the corner, but an attempted clear was knocked down at the blue line by Taconic’s Andrew Hammill, who directed the puck to Soper on the left side. Soper fired a shot that found the back of the net and tied the game with 1:17 on the clock.
The Thunder nearly got the game-winner in regulation, but McCann Tech’s Finnegan Noyes shut down a breakaway opportunity in the final seconds.
After Ben Harrington turned aside three Taconic shots in the extra session, Soper made the most of his opportunity with 3:39 on the clock.
“I was sitting high on that play,” Soper said. “We had two people in front of the net. We had one guy take a shot. The puck bounced out. I saw the back of the net and took the shot. And it went in.”
Taconic’s next game is on the road on Friday at Keefe Tech. McCann Tech (2-6) is scheduled to go to Easthampton on Saturday.