Heartbreaking defeat on the ice

The story ended the much like it did last year in the Section 6A boys' hockey quarterfinals. With the score even at three after three periods, Delano outlasted Hutchinson for a 4-3 overtime, ending the season for the Tigers in the playoffs.

Last year Delano beat Hutchinson, 4-3, in overtime to advance to the semifinals.

This time though, the way the final goal was scored was much different. Delano was given a power play three minutes into the extra session on a holding call on Tigers' Mitchell Cowger.

In fact, it was the second power play for Delano in the extra session, as the Tigers were whistled for an infraction with 27 seconds remaining in the third period.

Hutchinson was able to kill off the first penalty kill, but on the second one, a failed clear was picked up by a Delano defender and a shot from the slot beat Tigers netminder Zak Swenson for the winner.

The inability to clear the puck from the Tigers crease and their defensive zone plagued the road team all game.

After a scoreless first period that had each team fire 13 shots on net, Hutchinson got on the board with the first of three goals by Andy McPherson. The Tigers line of McPherson-Michael Cowger-Riley Bengtson kept the puck in the zone long enough for Cowger to find McPherson all lone in front of Delano goaltender Joe Belgrade.

McPherson took the pass and backhanded it past the stick of Belgrade.

The goal made up for a missed 5-on-3 opportunity early in the second period.

After not being whistled for a penalty for the game's first 32 minutes, Hutchinson received back-to-back infractions, which resulted in two power play goals for Delano.

The first Delano goal was on a shot from behind the net from Nick McElroy off the skates of Tigers defenseman Beau Braun. Just seconds later, Colin Barnauskas tipped in a shot from the point to give Delano the 2-1 advantage after two periods.

The third period began with a great chance for McPherson and the Tigers. After exiting the penalty box, McPherson found the puck on his stick at mid ice, skated in one-on-one with Belgrade, but missed wide left.

The next shift though, on the power play, McPherson knotted the score at two on a backhand shot from in close off a pass from Braun. The goal was similar to the first one, but on the other side of the net.

Delano retook the lead with 10 minutes remaining on Phil McElroy's tip shot in front of the net that beat Swenson five-hole.

Three minutes later after Delano was whistled for icing, the Tigers evened the score at three on McPherson's hat trick.

After McPherson won the faceoff back to the point, Dan Garvin sent a blistering shot towards Belgrade, which caromed to McPherson for the rebound goal.

The Tigers had chances to win in the final minutes. Braun had the best opportunity, sending a slapshot on net, but Belgrade made a great glove save dening the senior of the game-winner.

The loss was tough to take for the players and the coaching staff, especially with the way it ended. One thing was for sure, the Tigers deserved better on this evening.

Eric Kraushar is the sports editor at the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sports@hutchinsonleader.com.