WHALERS WORK OT TO ADVANCE TO 15U STATE FINAL

Marlborough, MA- Manning Morris scored 3:06 into overtime to push the Cape Cod Whalers over the Neponset Valley River Rats and into the 15U Championship game in the 2017 Massachusetts State Tournament.

Kevin McCarthy gave the Whalers an early lead when he took a pass at the point from Alex Laracy and fired it home just 1:24 into the contest.

The Rats tied it up at 2:18 of the second period.

With 11:28 on the clock, Brian Craven scored an unassisted tally on a delayed penalty to put the Whalers back in the lead.

Cullen Millerick sent Declan Joyce on a breakaway and Joyce converted to give the Whalers a 3-1 lead with 5:18 to go in the frame.

The lead held until the Rats pulled within one with 3:22 remaining in regulation, and an extra-attacker goal with 47 seconds left sent the game to overtime.

Both teams had their chances in the extra frame, but Evan McBrien set Morris up in the slot and Morris sent the puck top shelf to give the Whalers the win.

In the preliminary round, the Whalers opened with a 1-0 victory over the Valley Jr. Warriors on Friday. Saturday morning’s contest brought an 8-0 win over the Islanders Hockey Club, but the team fell in their final round robin game 3-2 to the Boston Advantage.

The Whalers will meet the Boston Advantage for the State Title and a trip to Nationals at 5:00 PM.