Sachem Offense Too Much for Lions, Win 7-1

After allowing a season-high eight goals in a loss to Middle Country last week, Sachem coach Tom Kramer tried to commit his team to a better defensive effort.

West Islip might want to give that a try, too.

The Lions were outshot 54-10 Monday night, as they fell to the Arrows, 7-1.

"We tried to play better defensively," said Kramer. "That's what made us successful tonight. We didn't get caught deep like we did last week."

Thomas Rubin made 47 saves in a losing effort for the Lions (1-9-0). He was bombarded with shots throughout the evening, but managed to keep the game reasonable until late in the third period.

"He stood on his head for us tonight," assistant head coach Frank Castaldi said of Rubin. "He had one that bounced off his glove and in, but he really came up big for us tonight and kept us in the game until late."

Castaldi was the acting head coach on the bench tonight, due to a one-game suspension doled out to bench boss George Ober from 

"First time that's happened to me," said Ober, who was hardly to blame for egregious acts of aggression by a few of his players.

As per Suffolk County Hockey League rules, any time a team reaches 15 penalties, the head coach will be suspended the following game.

The Lions played with only eight skaters due to injuries to four players, as well as suspensions to two more.

Sachem (5-5-1) took the lead on a controversial goal by Chris Haun, which according to Ober, was kicked in at 9:58.

"The ref wasn't in position to make the call," he said. "He stays up by the blue line and is expected to make a call down by the net. He never goes down into the corner, where he's supposed to be."

Nonetheless, the goal would stand. The Arrows stretched their lead to 3-0 with two goals late in the first period by Chris Chizzoniti and Harry Curran.

The Arrows had a 19-1 shot advantage over the Lions to cap off a dominating opening period.  

Sachem got goals from seven different players, as they used their defensive strategy to promote scoring opportunities throughout the night.

"If I can get these guys to play better defensive hockey, we're going to be successful," he said.

Chris Castaldi scored his sixth of the season, the Lions' lone goal, with 3:46 to play in the second period, taking a feed from Tom Conner and beating Sachem goaltender Will Harris' short side.

Harris was largely untested, as he only faced 10 shots.

"There were some missed opportunities," said Castaldi. "We missed passes that would've sprung some guys open. That's something we've got to work on."

Carl Martinez halted any momentum Castaldi's goal was giving West Islip just 1:43 later, as he beat Rubin to replenish Sachem's three-goal advantage.

Martinez then helped set up the first goal of the third period, finished off by Brian Brogan, one of the team's hardest workers.

"I was real happy to see Brogan get a goal," said Kramer. "He works his tail off and they don't seem to fall for him sometimes. But he managed to get one tonight and it's good to see that because it doesn't always happen."

Chris Porcillo pushed the lead to 6-1 at 10:44 on a rebound opportunity off Sal Calvagna's shot.

Tirelli then finished off the scoring with just under four minutes remaining, as he beat Rubin with a wrist shot from 20 feet away.