Lynbrook ousts Locust Valley in Nassau Class C semifinal

Even as Lynbrook found itself trailing by three goals midway through the second quarter, it had the ultimate ace in the hole: Eddie Perlstein at faceoff on the midfield stripe at Hofstra.

Perlstein kept winning draws — an astounding 21 in a row during one stretch — and the Owls kept getting opportunities. Once they started cashing them in it turned into an ace-high kind of evening.

Perlstein won 22 of 24 faceoffs and contributed a pair of goals and Mike Bouhall scored three goals with five assists as Lynbrook ousted Locust Valley, 12-9, Wednesday night in a Nassau Class C semifinal.

This was a reversal of the regular-season meeting, won by the Falcons, also by a 12-9 score, on April 22. Lynbrook improved to 10-7 and advanced to Tuesday’s county championship against two-time state champ and unbeaten Cold Spring Harbor at 8:30 p.m. at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. The Seahawks won the previous meeting, 17-9, on May 10.

If Perlstein can come close to duplicating Thursday night’s effort at the X, the Owls stand a chance. Their offense was efficient and proficient as they erased a 6-3 deficit. The run began with Perlstein’s over-the-top blast directly off a faceoff win. Matthew Renz had the first of his two goals with 1:51 left before halftime to make it 6-5.

Goals by Kyle Yaeger and Bouhall, off a nice spin move, put Lynbrook on top 7-6 with 7:37 left in the third. But Greg Andrea and his brother Buck, who each netted hat tricks, scored back-to-back goals to give Locust Valley (12-4) its final lead at 8-7.

Thomas O’Brien tied it at 8 with 1:25 left in the third and Perlstein put the Owls ahead, finishing high on a feed from Bouhall, who assisted on four straight goals spanning the third and fourth quarters. He set up Renz and Garrett Handell to make it 11-8.

When Yaeger scored man-up on a feed from Renz with 4:44 left, it was clear that Lynbrook was all-in for the county championship game.