The Marist Red Foxes defeated the Siena Saints in overtime in the second and possibly deciding game of the Route 87 Cup Series, 3-2 on a deciding shootout goal by forward Michael Russo.
Two weeks ago, the Red Foxes dropped a close first game at Siena 3-2 to set up the potential clincher for the Saints.
Clinching the series in two has been the norm for Siena over the past few seasons. Since 2024, the Route 87 sign has stayed with the Saints, dominating the series the past two seasons and staying flawless against Marist since October of 2024. Riding a seven-game win streak, the Saints looked to bring home the hardware once again. The Red Foxes had different plans, surviving a tight game tonight.
“We battle a lot; I call it diversity as a family,” said LoBianco. “We just buckle down and rely on our systems, and good things happen.”
With the Route 87 sign in attendance, the Red Foxes looked to push the series to a deciding third game and prevent the Saints from spoiling their annual pink the rink game. Coach Anthony LoBianco still searches for his first series win as coach of the Red Foxes, and tonight put him one step closer to finally bringing the I87 sign back to Poughkeepsie.
“It’s good we got a game,” said LoBianco. “Now it’s gonna be who plays an hour game with more effort, more dedication.”
The first period featured multiple great danger chances from both sides. The Saints hammered the offensive zone early and weathered Marist’s physicality. They were rewarded for their effort seven minutes in after a point-blank shot from Dominick Oppedisano in front. With that goal, Oppedisano broke the tie between him and Luke Tropeano for Siena’s goal-scoring leader of the season, with his ninth of the year.
Despite the early goal, goaltender Adam D’Errico kept the Red Foxes in the game, saving multiple high-danger chances as Siena continued offensive zone pressure. Freshman James Munoz rejuvenated the sea of fans in pink inside the McCann Ice Arena with a power-play goal, beating Siena goaltender Neil Roarty with a top-shelf snipe. The Red Foxes ended the first period tied for the first time this season.
Munoz’s goal was all the Red Foxes mustered on the man advantage. The penalties racked up across the second period with five, and Siena accounted for four. The Red Foxes found themselves on multiple man and 5-on-3 advantages, but failed to break the tie. Their biggest missed chance came on the 5-on-3 with five minutes to go in the period, but Siena’s penalty kill stifled the Red Foxes, making it difficult to even get a shot off. Both teams went into the locker room still deadlocked at one.
The Saints delivered a silencer not even a minute into the third period. Oppedisano toe-dragged around a dive from Marist defender MingWeng Shen to sneak the puck underneath D’Errico.
As the period kept winding down, desperation crept in for the Red Foxes. They were getting chances on net but unable to crack Roarty.
With under five minutes to go in the period, Sean Mercogliano revived the Red Foxes, burying a chance in front of the feed from Christian Martirano to tie the game up, blowing the roof off the McCann Ice Arena. D’Errico then stopped two huge Siena chances as the clock trickled down to overtime, putting the icing on top of his 45 saves.
“He’s the backbone,” said LoBianco. “When [D’Errico is] on [his] game, we keep teams under two or three goals; [there’s always a] chance to win.”
Both sides had multiple chances to put the game away in overtime but were unable to convert, bringing the game all the way to the shootout.
After four rounds, Russo put the game away to send the fans home happy.
“I swear I visualized it before the game,” said Russo. “Come down, stay right, shoot left.”
The Red Foxes take on the Saints again on November 21st in Albany for the deciding game, and take on Quinnipiac tomorrow.
Edited by Jack Tomasi
Photo by Niecey Kerr
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