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High School Ice Hockey:
Becker Nets Six As Eastern Tops Cinnaminson

Monday, November 20, 2000

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Mike Becker scored six goals and Anthony Orner added a goal and three assists to lead Eastern to a 9-7 victory over Cinnaminson in a seesaw contest played at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. Tom Wood and Bill DeVece scored two goals each, as did Crosby for Cinnaminson to pace their attack. Neither team could hold the lead for more than four minutes, until late in the third period when Eastern took the lead for good. Becker opened the scoring at the eight-minute mark of the first period. With each team down a man, Dave Warrington sent Becker in and his goal made it 1-0.

After Crosby and Parent gave Cinnaminson a 2-1 lead scoring fifteen seconds apart, Warrington tied the score with a blast from the point. Moments later Wood scored an unassisted goal for Cinnaminson with less than three minutes remaining in the period. But Becker answered right back and once again we were knotted at 3-3. DeVece scored in the final fifty seconds for Cinnaminson and they led 4-3 heading into the second period. Earlier in the week, Coach Pontonio felt Becker was due to break out and have a big game. His timing couldn't have been better as Eastern struggled all night on defense, with the exception of Warrington.

Beckers three goals in the second, sandwiched around one by DeVece and one by Crosby, kept the game tied at 6-6 heading into the third period. After Orner scored on a blast from just inside the blue line, Wood tied the game at 7-7 just about a minute later. Ryan Sullivan broke the tie with six minutes left and you were waiting for Cinnaminson to respond. Well their chance came with less than four minutes remaining. They had a man advantage and when they needed it the most, Eastern played great team defense and prevented any serious threat. Fittingly, Becker closed out the scoring in the final seconds and Eastern escape with a 9-7 win.

Photos by Joanne Costantino

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