RallyNorth.net

Sat, Feb 16, 2008 07:00 PM @ Salem

Team	1	2	3	Final
Londonderry	1	1	2	4
Salem	1	0	1	2

Londonderry steals one from Salem

Sunday, February, 17 By James Healey
Staff writer

The cheering that could heard after the game from the Londonderry locker room set the scene of the night. It was small but significant enough as Londonderry had just upset a Salem team that was favored from the beginning.

"We were underdogs that came up big in this game," said Londonderry center Tommy Thompson, who scored twice for the upstart Lancers. "We stole one tonight."

Londonderry set the tone of the night early on, attacking Salem's defensive zone hard and often. Thompson broke in on Salem goalie Rob Liberatore one-on-one with a defender. His shot deflected off Liberatore's glove and bounced into the back of the net at 4:38 of the first period.

But the lead was short-lived, as Salem answered quickly with a tip-in goal from Ryan Desroches 2:41 later.

Salem would not muster more offense until late in the game. Thompson came back in the second to score again. A soft pass from teammate Scott Morrison across the crease ended up in the top right corner of the goal.

"Morrison was trying to pass it over and he finally got it over to me and I put it in." said Thompson.

It should be no surprise that Thompson scored huge again for the Lancers. He has been doing it all season.

"He has been our go-to guy," said Lancer coach Ken Kuzyk. "But we have to give a lot of credit to some of his teammates."

Teammates like backup goalie Chad Sarofian (22 saves), who made his first varsity start. Despite getting the nod against a vaunted Salem team, Sarofian stood tall in the face of the 24-shot attack.

"I was really nervous when I started the game," said Sarofian. "But I calmed down as soon as the puck dropped." Sarofian, along with a strong defense, and Steve Ribero's game-winning goal in the third launched the Lancers to an easy upset.

"Ribero had a nice game-winner from Dustin Correia," said Thompson. "It was a good play from them."

Salem was unable to score another goal until Ryan Desroches deflected the puck in for his second goal of the night late into the third. The goal cut the lead to one, but Londonderry held on before Ryan Callahan's unassisted marker with 2:37 to go put the game away.

Londonderry (8-9-3, 6-8-3 Division 1) has been battling all season after coming off a horrible season of only two wins. They now have a chance to make the states.

"Right now, we're battling for a playoff position," said Kuzyk. "Every win is huge."

Salem is now 14-6, 11-6 in Division 1 play, after losing their last two games.