Sports briefs: Leavitt, DeNiro advance to men's hockey league championship series

Men’s hockey: Leavitt, DeNiro advance to championship series

ROCHESTER – No. 1 Leavitt Electric held off No. 4 RSA Realty, 5-4, and No. 3 DeNiro Development pulled away from Homecare of New England, 7-3, in Monday’s Rochester Men’s Hockey League playoff semifinals.

Leavitt and DeNiro will meet in the best-of-three championship series over at least the next two Mondays at 7:30 p.m. If necessary, a decisive third game will be played on March 27.

Josh Terry scored two goals in the final five minutes to break a 3-all tie with RSA to advance. His first goal made it 5-4, and his second, an empty-net tally, widened the margin to 5-3. RSA’s Jon Ellis scored with 28 seconds toi play, but Leavitt held on.

In addition to Terry’s two goals, Chris Hitchcock, Dave Robnicheau and Ricky Kramer had one apiece. Eddie Conroy added two assists. Tyler Briand made 27 saves in net.

For RSA, Jamie Ferullo (assist), Peter Keilty, Ryan Ellis (assist) and Jon Ellis (two assists) scored one apiece. Steve Stripto stopped 41 shots. RSA trailed 3-0 after two periods, but scored three goals to tie it at 3-3 in the third before Terry responded for the defending champs.

Josh Anderson (assist) scored two late third-period goals as DeNiro pulled away from Homecare. Ryan Randall had two goals and an assist, while Eric Pederson, Cam MacLeod and Doug Larsen also lit the lamp.

Kyke Carignan recorded two goals for Homecare, while Logan Hatch added one. Nick Paxton made 42 saves.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Leavitt, DeNiro advance to Rochester Men's Hockey League championship