Rye Hockey Scores Seven Unanswered to Win Applebee’s Winter Classic Tournament
The Rye Hockey Team fell behind 2-0 in their second and final game of the Applebee’s Winter Classic Tournament in Plattsburgh, New York, but stormed back for seven consecutive goals to win 7-2 over the Beekmantown Eagles. Rye finishes their upstate trip 2-0 with 20 goals scored, as they push their win streak to three.
“We came out a little slow out of the gate and allowed Beekmantown to jump out to an early 2-0 lead,” Head Coach Pete Thomas told MyRye.com after the win. “Tyler McDermott scored on the PP at the end of the 1st [period] to get us within one, and we never looked back.”
Jamie Morris added a second PP goal – his ninth of the season – in the second to knot the score at 2-2 before Will Niejadlik scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at the end of the period. Rye struck four times in the final frame to blow it open, courtesy of McDermott (his 2nd), Will Molin (1st varsity goal), Will Weinman, and Max Niejadlik. Fernando Mosquera made 33 saves in the victory, pushing his record to 2-0 on the season and his save percentage up to .953 (41 saves on 43 shots across two wins).
Mosquera, Molin, McDermott, and Finn Draddy were named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts over the weekend, and Will Niejadlik was named Tournament MVP. Niejadlik scored twice (including his first varsity goal) and added four assists for a 3.0 points-per-game average en route to his award.
Rye (3-2-1) will look to stay hot on the other side of Christmas in a grudge match against Suffern on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Puck drop against the Mounties at Playland is scheduled for 7:45pm. The Garnets will look to avenge their 6-2 loss in the season opener.
