HATFIELD— The finish would have made a wonderful ending to a movie. Pierre Larocque scored a goal 1:54 into overtime to give Malvern Prep a 5-4 win over La Salle Wednesday’s evening in an APAC matchup at Hatfield Ice.
Moments earlier, Larocque assisted on Ryan Sambuco’s goal that tied the game with 20 seconds left in regulation.
“We were really aggravated with the way we were playing at the time,” Larocque said. “So we had to stay positive in order to play better.”
Malvern Prep (5-4 overall, 3-2-1-0 in the APAC) was playing its first game since December 11 but they got off to a fast start against the Explorers (7-9, 0-2-1-1) who played a game this past Monday. Harrison Campbell and Jack Constabile scored goals 67 seconds apart to put the Friars up 2-0 with 3:18 left in the first period.
But goals from David Kimmel and Collin Keiser drew the Explorers even at 3:35 of the second frame. Jimmy Kirk put the Friars in front once more at the 5:05 mark but Jake Harmon and David Bruner scored 48 seconds apart to put La Salle back in front with 1:17 left in the period,
The third period was scoreless until Sambuco and Larocque provided their heroics. The Friars prevailed despite being outshot 26-16.
“It was nice to see them battle back there at the end,” said Malvern Prep coach Bill Keenan, and pop one in late and keep possession and get a heck of a shoot by Pierre Larocque.
Malvern Prep’s Pierre Larocque (dark jersey) carries the puck against La Salle. Number 26 in white is La Salle’s David Kimmel (photo by Gracie Cleveland).
Larocque was idled much of last season by an ankle injury. this year he’s spent time both up front and on the blue line.
“He battles every time he’s out there,” Keenan said. “For him to get going there and get that goal, it means a lot to us, it means a lot to our team.”
Larocque is enjoying simply being back on the ice. “I missed it a lot,” he said,” he said. “I watched (hockey) a lot, it was really tough.”
Keenan is hoping that Wednesday’s win will energize the Friars for the second half of the season. “We had a couple good practices right before this,” he said, carried it into today, and we’re forward to what’s ahead.”
Malvern Prep 2 1 1 1—5
La Salle 0 4 0 0—4
First-period goals: Harrison Campbell (MP) unassisted, 11:35; Jack Constabile (MP) from Matt Harris and Ryan Sambuco, 12:42.
Second-period goals: David Kimmel (L) from Andrew Budyzski and Keenan Schneider, 2:40; Collin Keiser (L) unassisted, 3:35; Jimmy Kirk (MP) from Matt Donatucci, 5:05; Jake Harmon (L) from Budzynski and Schneider, 13:55; David Bruner (L) from Daniel Whitlock and Max Maddalo, 14:43.
Third-period goal: Sambuco (MP) from Harris and Pierre Larocque, 15:40.
Overtime goal: Larocque (MP) from Harris and Quinn Dougherty, 1:54.
Shots: Malvern Prep 16, La Salle 26; Saves: Anthony Perti (M) 22, Liam Gross (L) 11.
Hockey Happenings 