Late Rally Sends Drew To Landmark Championship Game

MADISON, N.J. - It was a night of redemption for the Rangers as they avenged an earlier loss to USMMA with a thrilling 9-7 win. Rob Budziszewski, who's senior season has been a brilliant one, scored the game winner with just 33 seconds left to send Drew to the Landmark Finals. The Rangers had trailed 7-4 in the fourth before scoring the last five goals of the game to advance to the Landmark Conference Championship game to be held at Drew on Saturday against Goucher.

In a low-scoring hard fought affair, the Rangers trailed 2-0 at the end of the first period goals from Robert Atkinson and Ryan Merritt. The Rangers pulled one back in the second period as Steve Carnes ripped in a goal with 5:36 left. The game would enter half time with that score. Robert Boyd was doing a good job keeping Drew out of the nets with six saves in the half.

The second half saw much more scoring as the Mariners took a quick 3-1 lead. Just over thirty seconds into the half Brian Flannery scored, but Drew answered less than a minute later through Mike Sayers. Boyd came up with a big save to deny Sean McNulty and after a penalty against Drew on the clear, Ryan Merritt scored an EMO goal to put USMMA back up by one. The Mariners would add another before Budziszewski’s clever bounce shot pulled Drew back to one, 5-4.

The Mariners went up 6-4 with a breakaway goal with 12:45 left in the game from Flannery and then 7-4 as Merritt picked up a groundball and stuffed home from close range with 10:31 left. Things looked desperate heading into the last ten minutes, but these Rangers are a fine Armani suit; there’s nothing cheap and foldable about this team. Drew got going with a beautiful goal with just over nine minutes left. Jon Bucknam found Sean McNulty cutting to the net; McNulty caught and shot in one motion to swing momentum to the Green and Blue.

Bucknam did it himself to cut the lead to 7-6 as he ducked and dodged for a tally at 7:37. Jon Dowiak won the ensuing face-off, his third straight win and the Rangers quickly tied it up. Bud established position behind the net before feeding Greg Reading high. The sophomore ripped home to tie it up.

Dowiak again won the face-off giving Drew possession which they would maintain for much of the rest of the game. Twice in the last 6:30, the Rangers would have man-up opportunities and twice the Mariners killed the penalty. Robert Boyd made two saves to deny the go ahead goal and USMMA even had a one-on-one with Brad Mendelson in the Ranger net. Though Mendelson didn’t make a save on the shot, his aggressive play forced the Mariner attacker to shoot wide of the mark. That miss gave the Rangers the decisive possession of the game. Head Coach Tom Leanos, recently named the Landmark Coach of the Year, called time out to set up a final attack. The Rangers used that time wisely, working the ball around before Budziszewski worked his way around from behind the net, cut across the middle and left the Mariner keeper with no chance. Euphoria throughout Ranger Stadium spread thanks to Buffalo Bud and a subtle hand raise let the crowd know he heard them.

The biggest face of the season was next and Dowiak did all the work himself. Pulling back, picking up the ball in traffic and finding space, the junior gave the Rangers possession with 30 seconds left. Though running out the clock was the primary goal, Landmark Conference Player of the Year, Mike DeGiovanni brought the ball into the attacking third and looked for a teammate to pass to. Left open, DeGi instead took it to goal and fired home for a 9-7 lead.

Dowiak took the next face-off and is there any doubt who would win? The Rangers ran out the clock ensuring the championship match-up. After the final horn, the entire team charged the packed Ranger half of the stands in appreciation for the great atmosphere.

Drew will take on Goucher, 12-2 winners over Scranton earlier today, on Saturday for the inaugural Landmark title.