York White Scores Four Unanswered, Defeats Glenbrook North Gold In Overtime

Jack Nahumyk Scores The Game-Winning Goal as No. 1 Dukes Win The Academic Hockey League Championship

Jack Nahumyk picked up a loose puck Monday night deep in the offensive zone on the right side of the ice during a York White overtime powerplay against Glenbrook North Gold in the championship game of the Academic Hockey League. He circled around the faceoff dot back toward the Spartans goal and the left-handed Nahumyk sent a shot on goal into traffic.

GBN goalie Victor Kulakov couldn’t stop the shot, sending the host Dukes into mass hysteria.

No. 1 York White scored four unanswered, capped by the Nahumyk goal, to topple the Spartans, 4-3. Nahumyk scored at 5:11 of overtime.

“That was a great game,” said Nahumyk, a sophomore in his second season on York’s AHL club. “We were down 3-0 but came back with four unanswered and now we’re the AHL champions.

“When they got that penalty (in overtime), I thought we were going to end it (on the powerplay). I saw we had two or three screens in front (of the net) so I shot it to see what would happen, but it went in and that’s it.

“That definitely was the biggest goal of my career.”

York White head coach Nick Fina said Nahumyk ripped a good shot and the net-front presence no doubt aided.

York captain Ray Glorioso was sitting on the bench when Nahumyk scored. “I had one of the best views (of the goal). When I saw it (go in), I jumped off (the bench), helmet off, gloves off and I’m celebrating with the boys; it was amazing.

“Winning The A, at home (with a comeback); it was electric in the rink. I don’t think there was a better way to end my senior season and my hockey playing career; this was as good as it gets.”

But certainly not as easy as the Dukes would have liked, especially playing at home, in Addison. No. 3 Glenbrook North Gold led 1-0 after the first period and when David Beniuc and Kristian Magnusson each scored unassisted early in the second, the Spartans were ahead 3-0, ready to bring the AHL trophy back to Northbrook.

Not so fast, the Dukes said.

York scored four unanswered goals for the title.

“I’m speechless; I don’t really know what to say,” Nahumyk said. “When we were down 3-0, we knew we still had a chance, but knew it’d be hard to do.”

Added York goalie Ryan Mauck (26 shots): “It was a tough game. We went down 3-0 but never gave up and I really have to give the team credit; I faced maybe five shots in the second half of the game. This was a great win for the seniors.

“Falling behind 3-0 is a tough way to start a game. But we scored four unanswered.”

Glorioso said the comeback “showed what kind of club we are. We knew what it would take to come back and we did it.”

York’s Fina noted a rollercoaster of emotions – “quite the excitement in that game.” And the Dukes delivered their biggest comeback win of the season.

“We knew we had to get that second goal early (in the third); we trusted our offense and knew that Ryan Mauck would shut the door and provide us the chance to come back

The Spartans went ahead 1-0 at 10:50 of the first period on a Noah Saichek goal from the left side, assisted by Matthew Sack.

The Dukes got on the board at 9:21 of the second period when left-handed shooting Benjamin Jensen scored from the left side, assisted by Colin Hayes and Paul Degembe, making it 3-1 – and that was the score as both teams retreated to their locker rooms after two periods.

“I thought our guys battled hard; we left it all out there. I couldn’t be prouder of the season we’ve had,” said GBN head coach Joey Sanchez. “It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. We just couldn’t find it today.

“And the fact they scored four unanswered was something very uncharacteristic of us.”

Jensen scored at 15:16 of the third, cutting the score to 3-2, assisted by Degembe and Madden Taylor.

Degembe scored the game-tying goal assisted by Roberto Salerno with 1:16 remaining and the Dukes skating with an empty-net and six attackers.

In the first half of the game, Fina said the Dukes defense was not getting the puck to their forwards quick enough. That changed in the second half of the game. ““We didn’t play our best hockey in the first period, whereas GBN played exceptional,” Fina said.

The Dukes outshot the Spartans 26-16 from the start of the second period on.

“The atmosphere was electric, something the boys will never forget,” Fina said. “To win a championship at home, that’s not provided to teams too often. Plus, for our 13 seniors to win their last game, it was very special.”

Fina praised assistant coaches Elliott Fafinski and Matt Goff for the contributions to the program. “Elliott one day will make an exceptional head coach. Matt is retiring after spending 40-plus years coaching.”

Sanchez added: “Overall, it was a good team effort, but obviously not the results we wanted.”