Cortland crumbles in playoff collapse

FINAL (OT): Plattsburgh 4, Cortland 3

Dragons fall in SUNYAC semifinal

PICTURED: Cortland junior Evan Beaudry looks down the ice

CORTLAND, NY — Hockey is fast. Hockey is physical.

Tonight, hockey was heartbreaking.

Up 3-0 midway through the third period, Cortland could smell victory. The cookies were puffing up in the oven, and the home team was peeking through the door glass.

Then, a whistle. Tripping was the call, and Cortland freshman Nathan Garnier puttered to the penalty box.

Plattsburgh, pouncing on the opportunity, made the score 3-1. Momentum had shifted.

Not three minutes later, the visitors scored again. There was now real, tangible concern for the Red Dragons.

Still, the clock was on Cortland’s side. As regulation wound down, the Dragons remained in the lead.

Tick, tick. Tick, tick.

The whistle blew with seven seconds left. A faceoff was coming in Cortland’s zone.

Win the draw, and the Dragons would claim victory. Plattsburgh, though, had other plans.

The visitors won the faceoff, and immediately rifled the puck past Cortland goalie Ronan Mobley. An eruption ensued in Plattsburgh’s fan section.

In overtime, the inevitable didn’t take long. Plattsburgh found the net 20 seconds in, and Cortland’s season was a wrap.

Silence swept over Alumni Arena. As the Dragons limped to the locker room, a Plattsburgh fan chirped at Mobley.

“Ronan, what happened buddy?” he jeered.

The Cortland crowd took offense.

“Don’t talk sh** to Ronan!” a fan barked.

On the ice, emotions were subdued: Cortland senior Anthony Bernardo took in the emptying arena. His teammate, senior Domenic Settimo, shed tears near the bench.

Cortland Head Coach Joe Cardarelli consoled both players in a group hug.