Ivan Kulagin scored a power-play goal while Aidan Lasky’s go-ahead tally in the third period stood as the game winner. 87’s goaltender Florentin Fally-Puskàs made 24 saves on 25 shots as the team managed to stave off elimination.
New Jersey Head Coach Adam Houli spoke about his team’s effort and their poise in a must-win game to keep the series alive.
“Our backs were against the wall so we had that adrenaline going for us, and we just stayed composed as best as we can,” Houli said. “I think that adrenaline kept us moving in that first period. It’s also that time of year, if you lose, your season is over and if you win tomorrow, you get a championship.”
Kulagin’s power-play goal came with 4:32 left in the first period, giving New Jersey the lead. Sergei Shcherbakov slid a pass to the right faceoff dot where Kulagin hammered a one-timer for his fifth goal of the playoffs.
New Hampshire responded with a power-play goal of their own by Danny Storella. Cory Alissi looked like he was going to wrap the puck around the net, but he slipped a pass back up the near side to Storella and he deposited his seventh goal of the postseason.
Neither side found the back of the net in the second period, but Lasky gave the 87’s a 2-1 lead just 48 seconds into the period. Daniel Campbell chipped a puck into the corner to Nate McFarlane, and he slid a pass to the front of the net as Lasky lifted a shot over the glove of Gerard.
Lasky spoke about the goal, his second of the postseason, and how the coaching staff preached the importance of winning battles directly in front of the net.
“Our line has been trying to get one this whole postseason and there’s no better time to do it,” Lasky said. “Coach Matt (Kiernan) said the game is going to be won in the blue paint, and what a goal to have right there in the blue paint. It just goes to show we can be good in all areas of the ice, but we need to execute in that blue paint.”
Fally-Puskàs made timely saves for the 87’s, including a kick save on a one-timer by Storella right in front of the net in the first period. His biggest stop came with five minutes left in regulation. Owen Guerin led a two-on-two rush and slipped a pass to AJ Guzzardi at the net front. He ripped a one-timer on goal, but Fally-Puskàs kicked it away with the pad.
New Hampshire also lost its timeout early in the third period. Aleksandr Ravikovich took a tripping penalty, and coach Avs Chris Cerrella challenged for a missed major penalty prior to the Avs’ infraction. The officials deemed there was no missed penalty and New Hampshire lost the challenge. The team pulled goaltender Alex Gerard late in the game, but New Jersey was able to hang on for the 2-1 win.
In both games this series, New Jersey came out flying in the first period. The big difference in Game 2, however, was the 87’s ability to sustain that pressure throughout the game as they outshot the Avalanche 36-24.
“We decided that we had to start going low-to-high early so that we could open up (their defense). The Avs tend to condense, so we would move the puck high and work from there because our system allows us to produce that way,” Lasky said.
This is also the third straight series the 87’s have gone down 1-0 in a best-of-three matchup and responded with a win in Game 2. They did it against Philadelphia Hockey Club in the South Division Final and against the Providence Capitals in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Finals.
Houli credits the team’s chemistry for their ability to stay composed in must-win games.
“This is a very close-knit group, these guys just don’t want to let go of each other. We’re just playing for the next day and we just have to continue that,” he said.
With the series tied 1-1, it sets up a deciding Game 3 on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Schneider Arena. New Hampshire has a chance to win its third EHL title and its first since 2019, while the 87’s can win its second EHL championship as well as becoming the second organization to sweep the Frozen Finals at both levels.
When asked about preparing for a Game 3 in the championship round, Lasky spoke about his team’s ability to rise to the occasion. “I keep telling the guys if we weren’t meant to be here, we wouldn’t be here. Now we just need to find out if we were meant to win or not. We’re just going to dial it back in, come ready and give it our all tomorrow,” he said.
Houli put heavy emphasis on trusting the process.
“You trust your muscle memory, you trust that you’re prepared for this, you trust everything that you’re about, and that’s where we are right now,” he said. “We know what the game plan is tomorrow, as do the Avalanche, so it’s going to be a war tomorrow.”
