A huge effort in goal and a stirring third period comeback lifted the Ramapo ice hockey team to a crucial victory. The Green Raiders scored four times in the final stanza to pull out the 5-2 win over Wayne Valley.

With the win, Ramapo puts itself in strong position to qualify for next month's state tournament. Cort Fodi made 35 saves in the contest.

Down 2-1 entering the third, the Raiders tied the game on Stephen Schwab's power-play goal. Less than two minutes later, Michael Pazos scored on a shot from the blue line to put Ramapo ahead.

Wayne Valley pulled its goalie with under two minutes to play, and very nearly tied the game, but Fodi made two point-blank stops. Moments later, Ben Surat chipped the puck out of the zone, and it skittered all the way down the ice and into the empty net for the clinching goal.

Alex Pazos added another empty-netter in the final seconds. Michael Pear scored in the first period for Ramapo.

Gary Ragusa and Braden Ploehn had second-period goals for Wayne Valley. Joe Sponenburg made 29 saves.

The Indians fall to 8-9-3. Wayne Valley has four more games before the state playoffs cutoff date, and will need at least two wins and a tie to earn an automatic bid.

Ramapo improves to 7-6-6 with the win. The Raiders need one more win to secure a spot in the state playoffs with three games left before the cutoff.

For sports video highlights of this New Jersey and Big North Conference high school boys' ice hockey game, click play in the box at left.