Shaker/Colonie advanced to the Section II Division I hockey semifinals, but Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa goaltender Austin Clark made the Jets work for it.
Clark made 61 saves, but he couldn’t stop Tyler Donaldson’s shot 4:32 into overtime as Shaker/Colonie (13-3-3) edged Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa 4-3 in Wednesday’s quarterfinal game at the Albany County Hockey Facility.
Clark faced 46 shots in the second and third periods and stopped 44 of them to give the Spartans a shot to win the game in overtime. But Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake (10-10-1) had difficulty mounting a counter attack, as it only managed 13 shots for the game.
Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa’s first shot went in, as Trey Swingruber scored 25 seconds into the first period to put the Spartans ahead 1-0. Shaker/Colonie’s Andrue Caruso tallied off a pass from Kevin Egan with less than five minutes in the opening stanza to tie the score at 1.
After a scoreless second period, Shaker/Colonie took its first lead midway through the third period on Brendon Closs’ goal. Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa got goals from Nick Van Liew and Nick Hart later in the stanza to pull ahead 3-2, but Sean Phillips tallied with 2:35 left in regulation to tie the score at 3. Donaldson then netted the game winner to send the Jets into the semifinals.
Shaker/Colonie travels to Clifton Park Friday to face a Shenendehowa team that is coming off a 7-2 quarterfinal win over Niskayuna/Schenectady Wednesday.
Dave Hunter had two goals and two assists to lead the Plainsmen (13-7-1). Brad Tardif contributed two goals and an assist, and Max Papele added a goal and an assist.
Lucas Maloney and Tom Carrigan tallied for Niskayuna/Schenectady (8-13-1), and goaltender Spencer Moran made 33 saves.