Dylan Jenkins shoots on goal for the Lockport Express in the first period of tonight's game against the Jersey Shore Wildcats. (PHOTOS BY SCOTT LEFFLER / ENP STAFF)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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Lockport Express Head Coach Frank Vecchio talks with the officiating crew during a break in tonight's game.

With a little over eight minutes to go in the game the Lockport Express looked like they might have their game against the undefeated Jersey Shore Wildcast in hand, leading 4-2. Then ...

Jersey Shore scored a pair of goals within 23 seconds to tie the game with Lockport, sending the match to a 3-on-3 overtime session. Twenty-five seconds in, the Wildcats scored a controversial goal to take the win.

The Express protested the goal, saying that the net behind goalie Sal Stalteri had come off before Frederic Ampleman's goal crossed the line. The officiating crew disagreed. The goal, which gave Jersey Shore its only lead of the night — at the time when it most needed it — stood and the Wildcats remain undefeated.

Lockport started the scoring at 15:42 of the first period with a Frank Vecchio Jr. goal from Dylan Jenkins and Ryan Logar. At 18:11, Jersey Shore tied it with a Bogdan Khvatov goal, assisted by Jared Karas.

In the second period, Jenkins made it 2-1 with help from Mark Friol and Ryan Logar at 7:56. With six minutes to play in the period, Ampleman scored from Travis Valvo.

In the third, the Express took an early lead at 2:27. Chris Gasiewicz' goal was assisted by Justin Durkee and Sam Rydzewski. Jenkins added his second of the night unassisted at 11:50. That's when the wheels came off. Christian Cooley scored eight seconds later from Freddie Schaljo and Craig Berry. Schaljo scored his own just 23 seconds after that, leading to Ampleman's overtime goal 25 seconds in.

Lockport Express Head Coach said after the game that while he felt the officiating blew some calls — including the call on the game-winning goal — the team's real enemy was itself taking bad penalties.

East Niagara Radio broadcast team Howie Balaban, left, and Craig Bacon, middle, talk with Lockport Express Head Coach Frank Vecchio following the team's 5-4 overtime loss to the Jersey Shore Wildcats.

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