Penn State, here we come!

Final-minute thriller secures bid at Championship

By Brittany Ochtinsky
Contributing Reporter

The Murdoch Cup had taken its place beside the rink. Penn State had beaten Delaware to advance to the finals. All the Golden Grizzlies had to do was hold on for 60 minutes against the University of Illinois and they'd be playing in the Championship game. But it almost didn't happen.

With 1:19 remaining, the Grizzlies watched the lead they had held the entire game slip through their fingers. The Fighting Illini fought back after pulling their goalie for an extra attacker. Within seconds, the score was tied 2-2 and looked to be heading into overtime. But if you're a Grizzly fan, you knew it was far from over.

"Super Will" McMahon saved the day and made sure the Illini didn't get a shot at overtime.

McMahon caught a breakaway with just over a minute to play, as Brent Cooper delivered a pass from across the ice and McMahon walked in all alone on goalie Mike DeGeorge.

"Who can pull that off in a regular game, let alone with 59 seconds left in the semi-finals?" asked Head Coach Sean Hogan in disbelief. "The one guy on the ice you'd want to watch with a minute left and he's wide open. I couldn't believe it."

"They had just scored and we were in the huddle and JP had his head down. I told him to pick his head up and we were gonna win the game," said McMahon. "Scoring like that 20 seconds after they thought they were gonna win the game, it was very, very emotional. I was just trying to get the team going and rally some support after such a heartbreaking moment. That was the craziest game I've ever played in, by far."

McMahon gave the Grizzlies a 2-0 advantage late in the second period, but the Illini would cut the lead in half before the buzzer sounded. Jon Paul Ferrari had the lone goal in the first period, on what he called, "the only goal I've ever scored that actually meant something."

Goaltender Collin Chase stopped 37 shots to keep his team in the game.

"Giving up the tying goal didn't feel all that great," said Chase. "A minute twenty left and they scored, but for some reason, I felt we'd be all right. Something about the way the team plays in high-pressure situations, I knew they'd figure it out and get it done somehow. And once again, they did."