Lake George Fight Hard, but can't pull past Syracuse.

The Lake George Fighting Spirit tie the game twice but cannot get past the Syracuse Stampede, who won the Northern States Junior A Hockey Championship 5-4 on Sunday at the Lake George Forum.

Syracuse came out with an early lead, getting two goals in the opening 5 minutes.  Lake George finally got one of them back when Henrik Linden fired a shot that crossed the goal line just as the horn sounded to end the 1st Period.

The Fighting Spirit would tie the game in the 2nd period when Linden scored his second goal of the game, capitalizing on the power play.  But 1 minute later, following a Lake George penalty, Brandyn Morgan made quick work on their power play, scoring 30 seconds in to retake the lead.  

In the 3rd period, a dangerous turnover turned deadly as Alex Foster was able to net one past Nate DelGiudice for the 4-2 lead.  The Fighting Spirit showed some signs of desperation, but calmed down when Blake Tarbell scored an unassisted goal off a Syracuse turnover to put them within one.  Then with over 6 minutes left in the game, Mike Gough forced a faceoff in the Syracuse zone, and after Tyler Simmons won the faceoff, Mike Gough buried the shot that would tie the game at 4.

But with 4:41 left to go, Viktor Lundgren gave the Syracuse Stampede the lead for good, and despite some good chances with the empty net, the Fighting Spirit were unable to equal the game one final time. 

Both teams will get to represent the Northern States Junior A Hockey League in the nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the Fighting Spirit gained a berth from their regular season title, and the Stampede gained a berth from their tournament win.

GAME SUMMARY
1st Period:
GOALS: 1. Syracuse - Williams (Soya, Foster), 2:18; 2. Syracuse - Iselmoe (Runyon), 3:44; 3. Lake George - Linden (unassisted), 19:59 (PPG).  PENALTIES: 1. Syracuse - Huizenga (Head Contact), 19:51

2nd Period:
GOALS: 4. Lake George - Linden (Purdie), 9:51 (PPG); 5. Syracuse - Morgan (Huizenga, Moore), 10:51 (PPG).  PENALTIES: 2. Syracuse - Bench (Too Many Men, Served by Morgan), 9:07.  3. Lake George - Fukes (Elbowing), 10:22

3rd Period:
GOALS: 6. Syracuse - Foster (Huizenga, Pennock), 4:27; 7. Lake George - Tarbell (unassisted), 5:59; 8. Lake George - Gough (Simmons), 13:41; 9. Syracuse - Lundgren (Moore), 15:19.  PENALTIES: None.