Third-period charge gives St. Joe's second straight Niagara Cup

BUFFALO, N.Y.

(WIVB) Another year, another third-period comeback, another Niagara Cup title for St.

Joe's.After trailing 2-0 with less than 10 minutes to go, the Marauders stormed back with three goals in just over four minutes to beat St.

Francis in the Monsignor Martin title game 3-2 on Friday afternoon at KeyBank Center.It took St.

Joe's until 9:45 remaining in the game to get on the board, with Niko Mackiewicz scoring 13 seconds into a power play to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Charlie Myszka tied the game just over three minutes later, and then Mackiewicz got credit on a redirect with 5:24 to play that gave the Marauders a lead that they did not relinquish."We've been there before, just got to battle back," Mackiewicz said.

"Get one, get another one, keep going and keep battling, that's just how it goes."The Marauders were also forced to kill off a penalty that was called on them with just over two minutes to go."The guys really bared down, they killed it, they were strong on their sticks, and they battled," coach Jon Christiano said.

"They felt it.

Our guys kind of feel the big games and they've really come a long way.

A lot of these kids playing today are sophomores ...

the guys really hung in there and I'm proud of them."It was similar to the way St.

Joe's won the Monsignor Martin a year ago.

In that game, St.

Joe's trailed Bishop Timon 2-1 at the beginning of the third period and then won the game on multiple goals in the third period.This time around, St.

Francis scored the first two goals of the game.

Brayden Rakoski got the Red Raiders on the board first on a tally four and a half minutes into the second period.

Early in the third, they made it 2-0 on a toe-drag score from William Fattey."Even though it was 2-0, it was an even game.

We got a little bit of life with the first goal and then from that point on I don't know if they had a bona fide scoring chance against us," Christiano said.Christiano, a former Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans assistant coach who took over the program this year following the retirement of longtime coach Rich Crozier, continued the dynasty at St.

Joe's, winning a title in his first year to give the program its ninth Monsignor Martin title in 16 years."I didn't know what I was getting into.

I thought it might be a little stretch to go to states, but the kids really worked hard and got themselves to this point," he said.

"This is fun.

It doesn't matter what level you're at.

But when you're working with guys helping them chase their dreams, and this is an early dream in their sporting careers, it's fun.

It brings me back to when I was their age."St.

Joe's will advance to the Monsignor Martin state title game, facing a New York City-area team on March 8.WIVB SportsLate charge gives St.

Joe's second straight Niagara Cup.cls-3{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}Iroquois' Michaela Thomas wins state title.cls-4{fill:#000;}Kyla Hayes raises championship standard at O'Hara.cls-4{fill:#000;}Sabres fall 5-2 to Hurricanes.cls-4{fill:#000;}1958 UB football team made goal-line stand against racism.cls-3{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd}Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022.

He is a graduate of Canisius College.

You can see more of his work here..

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