Nobody would have second-guessed Frank Genovese, the coach of Fermi/Enfield/East Granby, if he had pulled his goalie with 1:38 left in Monday's game with Tri-Town.

The co-op had just called a timeout, was inside Tri-Town's defense zone and trailing by a goal. Now all the team had to do was win the face-off, but it could not. Tri-Town got the puck back and reversed direction.

"Thank God I didn't pull the goalie," Genovese said with a laugh Tuesday.

He would do that just a few moments later.

With 51 seconds left and the goalie finally pulled, Fermi/Enfield/East Granby tied the score at two when Logan Beck found the back of the net on a point shot through traffic. Then with 11 seconds left, Beck, a senior, did it again — another point shot to the back of the net for a 3-2 win.

Two goals, one minute and elimination avoided.

"I love the resiliency — it shows how much they care," Genovese said.

The co-op (7-11-1) now plays Conard in a win-or-go home situation Wednesday at Veteran's Memorial Rink in West Hartford at 7:30 p.m. To get into the Division II tournament, the team needs win or a tie.

"For us, it is a playoff game," Genovese said.

Fermi/Enfield/East Granby has picked up quality wins over Amity and South Windsor, and played well against CCC North leader Simsbury and top 10 foe Notre Dame-Fairfield. But it has struggled to find consistency. Before the Tri-Town victory, Fermi/Enfield/East Granby had lost four in a row.

"It's been a roller coaster ride," Genovese said. "We have to have a little amnesia and forget about it."

Simsbury Girls In Semis

As a former ironman triathlete, coach Kris Arnold did everything in his power to make sure he peaked at the right time.

Now, his players are doing the same.

Simsbury (16-5-1) plays perennial power New Canaan Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Darien Ice Rink in the girls' hockey state semifinals for a chance to advance to its first championship ever.

"I've believed in them from the start, but it took some of them awhile to believe in themselves," Arnold said. "But I definitely can tell they're believing in themselves now."

The Trojans, who have advanced to three semifinals in four seasons but never a championship, are playing a team that has won two of the past three titles and has played in every girls' state championship. They also have the best player in the state, Princeton-bound Olivia Hompe.

But the Trojans won't be scared. They've lost two one-goal games to New Canaan this year.

Whalen Gets Milestone

It hasn't been an easy year for the co-op of Rocky Hill, Middletown and RHAM, which started 0-8 and is currently 4-15.