Suffern players jump all over Mike Redgate (7) after he scored the game-winning goal in sudden death overtime to defeat Mamaroneck 3-2 as goalie Tom Brill lay on the ice in the boys hockey Section 1 Division 1 championship game at the Brewster Ice Arena Feb. 24, 2013. ( Frank Becerra Jr / The Journal News )
By Mike Dougherty
BREWSTER — All the past success is helpful, but Suffern also has to deal with a fair amount of anxiety each time a Section 1 hockey championship is on the line.
Nobody on the Mounties wants to be responsible for ending the streak.
Mike Redgate and Nick Jaeger certainly weren’t looking forward to hearing the criticism from across the dinner table, and they came through just in time, delivering a 3-2 overtime win over Mamaroneck on Sunday night at Brewster Ice Arena to run the string to four in a row.
Both have older brothers who played big roles in the first three Section 1 Division 1 titles.
Jaeger forced the overtime, knotting the score with a mere 58.7 seconds to go in regulation, and Redgate tapped in the game winner five minutes into overtime.
“There’s a lot of pressure, but the experience does help, winning three in a row,” said Redgate, who deflected a Tom Brennan slap shot after Justin Tiso had moved the puck out top. “I know we’ve been here before; still, if you don’t win, it’s a letdown.”
Redgate barely had a chance to get his arms up in the air before he was swarmed.
The Mounties, the defending state champions, will meet Section 2 winner Saratoga on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Sport-O-Rama with another trip to Utica on the line.
“I’ll tell you what: The Jaeger and Redgate families are what Suffern hockey is about, and to have their little brothers come in here and get the tying goal and the winning goal is special,” Suffern coach Rob Schelling said.
The rival programs gave a packed house one heck of a show.
It only took a minute for the nerves to settle and there was plenty of back and forth in the early going. Both goaltenders were immediately put on the spot. Suffern’s Nick Modica and Mamaroneck’s Thomas Brill deftly turned away shots from the doorstep, letting everyone know they were up for the challenge.
Suffern’s Kevin Hill was turned away twice in the opening minutes, but he eventually got a chance to celebrate. A little hustle from John Costa forced a turnover deep in the Tigers’ zone and he got the puck to Robert Clark, who spotted Hill lurking on the far post without anyone to get in the way. The extra pass did the job, and Hill gave the Mounties a 1-0 lead with 2:58 to go in the first period.
A little more fire on the ice helped the Tigers take control of the puck after the first intermission. Trey Herlitz-Ferguson got a defenseman on his left hip, and skated in front of Modica five minutes into the second period, then shot back to the far post to knot the score 1-1.
Peter Conley got Mamaroneck in front nearly five minutes later when he got loose and got in for a short-handed goal.
No matter what Suffern did, it could not solve Brill.
The Tigers did have some chances to put the game away, but Modica wasn’t letting anything in, either. He came up huge on another Conley breakaway and made a big-time save with the glove.
“I told Robert Clark, I fought hard for you guys, now go down and fight hard for me,” said Modica, who made 25 saves.
The Mounties were getting some pressure on, and Schelling called time with 1:06 to go in regulation to settle everyone down and remind them to throw everything on net.
“I thought we had it,” Mamaroneck coach Mike Chiapparelli said.
“All we had to do was get the puck out of the zone. They would’ve pulled the goalie. I thought we were in great shape. We actually won the faceoff, but the puck hit a skate and went back into the corner.”
And it ended up behind the net, where Hill played it back to Jaeger on the left post.
“I just knocked it right in,” Jaeger said. “It’s definitely hard not to be nervous in that situation, but we were still confident. I didn’t even know what was going on after I scored. All I heard was the crowd going crazy.
“It was unbelievable, just a great feeling.”
84 Comments
Wait, the game was yesterday? On a Sunday? What did I miss?
Sounds like it was a great game… it was, I saw it. Give Mamaroneck credit for giving Suffern a scare. I’m glad they stayed in D1 this year, although I was against it before the season started (still think all teams in all sports should play in the division enrollment dictates, what makes hockey different?). If New Rochelle (whom Suffern smacked around 8-0) is the next best competition… it’s good that Suffern had to pull off a semi-miracle to win the section again.
Hey Mike D., Hill is also a little brother. His brother John was on the ice when Mamaroneck beat Suffern in the section final on a last second goal in 2008. So it’s 3 little brothers who scored yesterday.
And Modica is a little brother. His older brother, Joe, played on 2 Frozen Four teams with Suffern.
postman February 24th, 2013 at 9:50 am
THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN!!! suffern wins 3-2 in a great game!! possibly even in overtime..
I am going to keep an eye out for that one Mamo fan who is a loud annoying parent who knows nothing about hockey and sit far away from him!! Please wear your grey fleece so I can spot you easily!
best of luck to everybody today!!
I don’t think a game could get more exciting. The only bad thing is… the losing team gets devastated. Mamaroneck played a great game, the loss does not really come down to the game tying goal… it comes down to Mamaroneck not burying chances in the third period to make it 3-1.
Too many icings late, instead of skating it out of the zone which the did successfully most of the game they started to try for the long pass, which was missed and went for icings. That was the worst thing they could do. And it bit them hard.
Are Carudo and Mahoney little brothers – without them and Modica the season is over – great pass from Hill to Jaeger – Really happy for Redgate effort all season long is rewarded – looking forward to Saturday’s game
Like any great game, last night’s Suffern/Mamaroneck game had its share of ebbs and flows. Both teams came out flying but took a while to skate through the nervous energy and get down to business. Momentum swings were huge after each goal and fatigue was evident on both benches in the 3rd.
At the beginning of the third period, I was convinced that whoever scored the next goal was winning the game. Another huge momentum shift that late in the game would be too big to overcome. 15 minutes is a LONG time to protect a one goal lead and Mamaroneck nearly pulled it off. Once Yaeger tied it, it was only a matter of time.
The Mamaroneck/Suffern games are what high school hockey is all about. Two proud teams with much respect for one another battling it out on the ice each and every time to the thrill of their classmates, families and fans. Either team would have represented Section 1 well in the next round of playoffs and Mamaroneck will be back next year to battle again. Great game Tigers!
A special recognition needs to be made for the effort of two Suffern players. Nick Modica made a number of game-saving saves to allow the comeback to survive and has once again demonstrated why he’s one of the best goaltenders in the state. Michael Redgate channeled his older brother’s intensity and hustle to force his way into the game’s big minutes. We witnessed last night the emergence of a young hockey player onto the big stage and he was rewarded for his hard grinding work with the winning goal. Classic.
Mr. Howell – Suffern is a TEAM! To say without 3 players you mentioned the season is over is dumb. There are a lot more players without them the season would be over. Great job and hustle by ALL!
A pretty good show of what section 1 hockey is about yesterday. 2 great teams. I think Mamk just matched up well with Suff this year. Suff handles Pelham rather easily this year, wipes out Ctown 2x, NewRo…Mamk edges ctown and New Ro by 1, loses to Pelham. It was about the matchup. Suffern hosts Saratoga not Queensbury as stated in article above.
@suffern Team – exactly my point – the unsung players are what make Suffern what they are – thanks for pointing out that I am dumb
I’ll say this, if Modica is one of the best… so is Brill. Mamaronecks defense is nowhere near as good as Sufferns. Look at the game tying goal. That kid was ALL alone in the slot. When would suffern, with a one goal lead, with one minute left EVER allow a kid to be standing in the slot completely uncontested? NEVER. Mamaronecks D move the puck well, skate well, pass well… but when it comes to defense in their own zone when the other team has the puck… it’s the same story year after year. They have no clue what to do. That kid has to be blanketed, any shot taken needs to be from the points or the perimeter. THAT was the difference. That is not a knock on Modica, he does not have to deal with defensive deficiencys that Mamk has year… after painful year. In their own zone… Mamaroneck can be brutal.
@Suffern Team.. LOL.. that is funny.. I always find it absurd when people say, “without that player…” well they HAVE that player. Without Michaell Jordan, without Joe Montana, without Tom Brady, without Wayne Gretzky.. on and on and on we can go. But to say without those 3 players is borderline insane!!! lol
Thank you Ned! Yes I did call it!.. just lucky
If any of you wish to watch the Suffern vs. Mamaroneck Championship game you can do so by going to http://vimeo.com/60425316 – courtesy of Pacfan
Actually mentioned six kids in two sentences – it hurts that only two bloggers think my post and I are dumb
but we are a very important 2 Mr. Howell.. LOL
Pacfan thank you
Some random thoughts:
– BIA did a nice job with the event. Easy in and out…Totally worth the $8.
– The game didn’t start until after 5…was the ice cut after warmups really necessary?
– A lot of Mamo fans there who would not have gone to West Point.
– Zero penalties called on Suffern.
– 26 and 15 on Suffern very tough to contain. A lot of speed and dangerous at any angle.
– Suff goalie made at least 6 great stops.
– 22 on Mamo. A freshman on first line…had to have at least 4 or 5 blocked shots.
– Mamo D did a nice job of keeping the play to the outside and used the body very well. They were a big reason why Suffern was outshot.
– Mamaroneck had a big advantage in up close looks…despite dump and chase comments above
– Nice job by the PA announcer!
– Nice touch playing Crazy Train before the second period and Welcome To The Jungle before the third (I would have gone with “Bring ‘em out. Bring ‘em out.)
– A little disappointed with the Zamboni guy!. Left a puddle in front of Mamo goal and an uncut swatch in front of the Suffern goal before the opening faceoff. Possibly nerves.
“I thought we had it,” Mamaroneck coach Mike Chiapparelli said. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha oh man, there you go thinking again Chap!
“If we had gotten that third goal, it would’ve been over a long time ago,” Mamaroneck coach Mike Chiaparelli said.
And if the Queen had n—s, she would be KING!
I love Ned’s last thought about the zamboni driver. “Possibly nereves”. That’s good stuff.
Huge disappointments for these two programs. Both won their last title five years ago. Thats got to hurt, and for Jay thats one title, still some more to go to to catch the big four
oh and whether some Suffern people like it or not, I have to give a shout out to Coach Chap, who came out into the lobby after an emotional loss and after spending some time with his troops, and congratulated my son, my older son and my wife and I. We discussed 2008 and that loss for my older son and broke down yesterday’s game. So many great Mamo/Suffern games over the years. Nobody enjoys 8-0 games. This is what we all want. Great game Coach. Great team.
whos better than you Biff? what a guy! lol
Not only did hill modcia redgate and jaeger have a older brother rob Clark has one as well who aslo play on suffern and was a big part on the 06 -07 team had a hat trick vs Shen to send them back to Utica
postman, since you were deadon with your prediction for the Suffern/Mamo game, what is your prediction for Suffern/Saratoga? I know you don’t know Saratoga well, so go do some research and get back to us.
@Hock, very true and then the painful memory of Utica after the Shen victory. my son passing it to Nick Clark and Nick stuffing it in for what appeared to be the game winner in OT against Ithaca and current Cornell goalie Andy Isles. But the ref waived it off (replays showed the ref was wrong) and Ithaca won in a shootout ad then won the state title the next day. Modica’s brother was on that team as well. Oh well. You win some, you lose some.
so who are we playing Saturday, i thought Toga also Biff, but the crack journalism of the Lohud staff wrote this.. The news is never wrong you know.. or maybe I don’t know what Im talking about either..
...”The Mounties, the defending state champions, will meet Section 2 winner Queensbury on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Sport-O-Rama with another trip to Utica on the line.”
Nick Clark is Robert Clark’s older brother. Great kid. Great family. Suffern beat Saratoga 3-1 up there earlier in the year on an Olympic sized rink
Suffern plays toga Saturday night at 7:30 at SOR
JJ plays Queensbury up in section 2
Why wasnt there any awards at the end of the game like in the past years? No Section 1 plaque, no playoff medals and no MVP? Does anyone know?
Robert Clark’s also won the face off that set up the tying goal with 50 SEC left in the 3rd
I guess the Clarks have hired a new PR firm in Hockeyfan…
The theme of the day is “congratulations”
– Congratulations to BIA for doing a great job putting on the games
– Congrats to MSG Varsity. From the those that watched it on the live stream, they said the quality of the broadcast and commentary was first rate.
– Congrats to Mike – your coverage this year has been second to none as far as high school hockey goes in NYS. You do a wonderful job of making these young high school athletes feel like they are big time.
– Congrats John Jay. Winning their first title, and taking the toughest road to do so. Well done!
– Congrats to the Suffern Mounties – you guys showed why you are defending state champions, and made the big plays when they were needed the most. Good luck the rest of the way.
– Finally, congrats to the Mamaroneck Tigers. I have had the privledge of watching most of you play hockey since you first laced up skates – especially the gradulating seniors. You guys embody what dedication and team spirit are all about and you fought to the end. I will miss watching you play together.
Now hopefully I can find where the wife stashed the baseball / softball gear…
No it’s just I have known the Clarks for the past 15 years. Nick and my brother played hockey together.
Actually I believe that there are 8 players on the current roster who have older brothers that have played for Suffern. Also 2 players whose fathers played back in the day also. the tradition runs deep lets go blue beat Toga.
Saturday night against Toga at SOR is gonna be fun. I can’t wait. Ill be at SOR early. Should be packed
Hats off to MSG Varsity!!!
I don’t know how they do it so well..got to cost a few dollars and with NO ADVERTISING revenue. They had feature stories and highlights of the just concluded period during ice cuts. I have watched college broadcasts with far less production quality.
Had to repost part Ned Bigby’s pre game post from yesterday. I thought this was classic…
“Behave yourselves…don’t damage any property or Section 1 won’t be invited back there either. (wrestling meet?...yeah right…we can have combat troops on the ground in 6 different countries but West Point can’t host a hockey game and a wrestling meet?...ummm…okay)”
Thanks Ned!!!
Suffern as of today is the #1 team in NYS
Mamaroneck 12
JJ moved up to 5
Thank you Pacfan for the terrific video of last night’s Suffern/Mamaroneck game. The best seat in the house and a steady hand produced a great recording.
Agree with posters above about MSG varsity coverage. Really amazing job.
As a life long Suffern fan I have to tip my hat to Mamk and it’s coaching staff. Chaps sometimes makes himself an easy target with the Mark Twain thing going on, the shorts, the animation and just the larger than life character. He has been the target of cheap shots over the years on this blog. At the end of the day I think he is an excellent coach, motivator a coach players love to play for and will run through a wall for. That’s all that really counts, isn’t it? This season could have very easily got away from Mamk with 4 or 5 losses in a row or 5 out of 7, whatever it was. He settled it down and took his team to within 58 seconds of a section title. Say what you will but I think if we are all honest with ourselves we have to admit he did and has done an excellent job with this program.
#1Suffern vs #6 Saratoga Saturday night 7:30 SOR
@OldSchoolMountie – You are welcome, glad to provide for video for those who did not get to see this great game.
Pacfan, thank you for the great additional coverage!
Also, I hope that Brewster, or any facility within the section really, is used for future championships… maybe develop a rotation between the rinks with high fan capacities. The environment for both games was just awesome, and the kids playing in the games clearly loved the atmosphere. It is about the skaters and yesterday was just an all around awesome event/experience for Section 1 Hockey.
I think it is silly to go out of Section and away from most of the fans for a venue that is not exciting to the players. Most kids play travel hockey at West Point at some point growing up, and there is not a lot of novelty to it. Playing in front of a packed house is what the kids really want and that is a memory the teams that earn a spot in those games deserve to have.
Yesterday was cool.
@OldSchoolMountie – You are welcome, glad to provide video for those who did not get to see this great game.
Couldn’t solve brill? Don’t think he made too many great saves, if any at all! Mamo did an excellent job of getting in the lanes and blocking shots
What a great game by both teams video was awesome quit your day job PacFan. The short handed goal what a play, what talent. The player who flew up ice simply awesome on the game winner. Wow awesome!! Both teams deserved to win, both goalies played great the save in ot though by Suffern was great too. PacFan thanks again
The BIA thing ran fairly well. I don’t think many other rinks can do the same thing.
Hommocks? Maybe. parking is a problem, they gotta make sure that the parking lot is empty for the spectators. If there is an event going on at the school… parking is a complete nightmare. There is enough seating if they bring in extra bleachers.
Playland? Yes. Huge Parking lot. There is enough seating to hold more than what BIA holds.
Ebersole? No. OUtdoors, not enough seating or parking for a section championship.
Murrays? No. Same as above.
Sportorama? Yes. But I’m not sure that there is enough seating. There have been times when it’s been sold out and people have had to walk.
WSA? No. Not nearly enough seating.
Ice Hutch. No. The parking there is terrible. I’ve had to park at CVS for regular season games. FOrget a championship game.
West Point. Of course. It’s been flawless there for years. I’d like to go back there. And for the old timers, they can actually sit and watch the game. BIA was standing only. If you sat… you were staring at someones Butt.
As far as the Mamk suffern game. Great game. Mamaroneck played great, probably outplayed Suffern by a bit…. so it’s a shame that they could not finish it. They tried to just kill the clock in the third instead of playing hard in the offensive zone.
where is N-W with the updates? I’d thought there would be some kind of live feed with that game
Oh, actually just saw NW is up on Clarence 4-1 at the end of 1st.
I stand corrected, after refreshing my screen; NW 7 Clarence 1 end of 2nd. wooaahh
Brothers-
There are actually nine younger brothers of former Suffrn pllayers on the team and two second-generatio Suffern Varsity players on the roster this season.
Niagara Wheatfield 7 Clarence 2. Final
Pacfan-
Didn’t realize that was you up there until I just saw the angle this video was shot from. How the heck do you still have any hearing left sitting next to those speakers all day? The tinitus must be real strong with you.
Great video (with an alternative perspective to the MSG version). Thanks for putting it up there and risking life and limb and eardrum to do it. Only critique is that you edited out the pre-game introductions. Those were outstanding!!!
@Cliff – Only can put approximately 1 hour of video up at a time and since the game went into OT, I had to edit some of the video. I agree it would have been nicer if I could have did the pregame and post game events. By the way, the introductions were Great!
Mamaroneck “one upped” suffern in the pre game intro’s by shaking their coaches hands. Direct violation of state rules
I was wondering who was up there, and why. Now I see why. It’s fascinating to watch the goals in slow mo, how they developed, who was covering who… etc.
Niagara Wheatfield must be amazing. I saw Mamk play Clarence and was very impressed with their size and speed. For them to be putting a beat down on Clarence is impressive.
Played Pelham and handled them 6-2. Yes Pelham did not have Schauer or their starting keeper but NW scored some amazing goals in that game. They were pretty physical.
Section 6 D2 end of one, will east and west Seneca west tied at 1
biff is a legend
Nice job Suffern you never quit and found a way. 4 in a row that’s impressive there are probably many players in the section who would give anything for just one section title. Hats off to Mamo you boys really played hard and should be proud of yourselves for your success this year. Could of gone either way you were real warriors yesterday. Best of luck to all the seniors on Mamo and all teams for that matter.
To the Suffern boys….wow! After losing 11 seniors including some of the best in the state you managed to run your record to 19-3 and win sectionals with a target on your back of being defending state champs. Seen enough playoff hockey now to know the state tournament is a crap-shoot not gonna get any easier from here. But why not you? Good luck proud of you all no matter what the outcome.
My guy has had the privilege in playing at West Point and now Brewster he said he really enjoyed the atmosphere at Brewster more intimate and on top of you. Curious to think what other players think. I wanted to go to West Point and sit my fat ass down on a comfy chair and send out my youngest daughter for snacks every 10 minutes, but maybe the players like the smaller venue I don’t know.
Thanks for that Video Pacfan, you did an excellent job with it.
Thanks for taking the time, it is appreciated.
N-W, Congrats on the impressive win!
Any one catch a glimpse of schiff taking off his glove behind the net in the 3rd? made me chuckle
yea i saw that…he is cool customer…appeared to stop and wipe his brow
@ Ta-Da. Thank you very much.
@Pacfan – thanks for the video – great Job!!
Looking for info for Massena radio guys on Monroe – Woody. I can’t find much on their website, does anyone know their record. I know the Mounties thumped them and they played several Sec. 1 teams. Thanks
@x-mountie – you are welcome, it was a fun game to watch, good quality play, especially by the goalies who kept both teams in the game.
West Seneca West beat Williamsville East 4-2.
@O-H,
I didn’t see them this year, but I am sure the Clarkstown, Suffern, JJ, Scarsdale, New Rochelle and ETB bloggers can provide some color for you.
If the past is the norm still, they usually have a couple of studs, like to play physical, expect some power plays for you. I know they were down this year and don’t expect a lot of info from their Newspaper or Section 9’s website, they don’t update often.
Good Luck going forward!
Old Historian-
They finished the season with a 7-7 record (they had real bad luck with cancellations and snowstorms this year, thur the low number of games played).
If your looking for specific info (like a roster or anything like that), email me at info@section1hockey.com and I’ll give you what I can.
Ta-Da and Cliff Clavin,
Thanks for your kind help, have passed on your info to WMSA radio announcers. Watched Mounties and Tigers,felt terrible for Mamaroneck kids as it is impossible to console them. The best John Orlando could do for me after loss to Suffern in 92 was offer me a ride on his boat on Lake George. I’m still smarting after 20 years.
Great post by Old Historian. For as much success as Suffern has had, they also know the pain of brutal losses and the kids and parents still talk about what went wrong in those games and how it could have easily have gone the other way. You have to be good AND a little lucky.
Dear Old Historian
You never did take me up on that boat ride on Lake George. We are still in business and waiting for you.
It was a bitter sweet moment in beating Massena, sweet because we beat the best coach, Stan Moore and bitter because he was a great friend and mentor to me.
We are still celebrating after 21 years.
John
Mamk will be hurting even worse if suffern goes on to win it all. It could’ve been them if they didn’t choke.
Dear Coach Orlando,
Great to hear from you after all these years, still follow hockey even though I now live in Tenn. I still remember Stan Moore and myself roaring with laughter as you chased a boy named Ira off the ice in a physical game against Salmon River. I think he was a defenseman and was not intimidated by Bill Plante’s Shamrocks. Dick
Slap
Choke is a greatly mistaken depiction of Mamaroneck’s performance.
Granted they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory but it was nothing if not the noblest of efforts.
Seeing those kids lying face down on the ice in the end leaves little doubt to anyone that has ever played a sport that they gave it all they had.
We are proud of you Tigers. Thanks for the wonderful season.
Agree with you Stripes…very unfair to say Mamaroneck choked. Both teams battled with everything they had. There is no shame it giving your maximum effort as an individual and a team and coming up just short.
Watched entire game closely and I did not think Mamaroneck choked, Mamaroneck did not let up off the gas. Both teams had plenty of opportunies in the third period and in overtime, the goalies played well and Suffern ended up with the last goal. I do think some of the players were getting tired from playing so hard for four periods, the intensity of the game was high. Either team could have won this game.
I don’t think Mamaroneck Choked, those kids played a great game in a hard fought battle and put it all out there, it came down to Sufferns top players doing what they do best, making great plays, Hills Pass from behind the goal to set up the game tieing goal and Tiso skating it end to end wraping it from behind Mamaronecks goal and passing it to the point man and Redgate finishing it off.
@Pacfan – Great job with your game video – Fantastic viewing!!
@Pacfan – Suffern Should pay you to do the Suffern / Toga game, great viewing if nobody has seen it yet. Thanks Pac
Someone from Suffern should video document the rest of their season.
@Pacfan – Potentially you have a good money making opportunity for next season, there is a need for it and you are obviously talented, you should offer teams next year a video package to document their season.
Food for thought…...
Thanks for the kind words regarding my video, I just do it as a hobby. I knew I was going to the game so I decided to catch the moment on video and share it with others. Sometimes it is just nice to be kind