Parkland Wins LVSHL Crown In Overtime Thriller

Parkland’s Josh Campano scored the game-winning goal with 3:30 left overtime to lift the Trojans to a dramatic 4-3 victory over Southern Lehigh Thursday night in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Ice Hockey League title game at The Rinks in Whitehall.

The dramatic goal came just 10 seconds after Parkland goaltender Robbie Stock stopped Southern Lehigh’s chance to take the title, as he made the save of a penalty shot taken by Spartans captain Brady O’Donnell. 

Both coaches had nothing but praise for their teams following the game.

“Our kids deserved it, they played their hearts out,” said Parkland head coach Frank Berry.

Southern Lehigh’s route to the playoffs, let alone the title game, was unexpected.

“It was a fantastic game, nobody expected us to get this far, the way we started the season slow. Nobody expected us to beat Quakertown and get in the finals and take Parkland into Game 3, let alone in overtime with a chance to win,” Southern Lehigh’s head coach Rick Blum said.

After coming off a loss in Game 2, Dan Barnaby got the Trojans started off just 1:09 into the game with a wrist shot 15 feet cutting across the crease that hit the net for a 1-0 lead.

The second period started with Parkland’s Daniel Plinke scoring just 55 seconds in to give Parkland a 2-0 lead.  Southern Lehigh quickly charged back into the game with a goal just two minutes later. 

Halfway through the second, Southern Lehigh's Michael Nemeth tied the game at 2-2.  Parkland was dominating play, outshooting the Spartans 25-10, but Solehi kept the game clos with their opportunistic play.

Barnaby gave Parkland the lead with 8:54 left in the third period.  Penalties plagued both teams in the third period, giving each team a man advantage and three-on-three play at one point.

Southern Lehigh goalie Luke Frawley was the reason that the Spartans were still in the game and heading to overtime.  Frawley was nearly flawless, stopping 40 of 42 shots through regulation, but it was Parklands’ Stock that made the biggest save of the night.

In overtime, it seemed that the game would go to the team that had the best luck.  Both teams had their chances to win but missed on key opportunities.

With 3:43 left in the sudden-death session, Parkland was called for a penalty and O’Donnell had the chance to shock the Trojans  with a penalty shot.

The crowd that grew over time became eerily silent as O’Donnell rushed toward the net, making a nice move and taking the puck to his backhand, but it was Parkland’s Stock that outstretched his right pad and make the save.  

This was the momentum that Parkland needed as just 10 seconds later, Barnaby connected with Josh Campano that gave Parkland the 4-3 win in a game where both teams left nothing on the ice.