CRUSHED were the Philippine ice hockey team as it saw its gold medal hopes melt in the endgame, suffering a 4-3 semifinal defeat to Singapore in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Saturday at SM MOA Skating Rink.
James Nicholas Kodrowski sent the puck to the net with 21 seconds left in the match, converting on the all-important goal from an assist from Bryan Shao Herng Lee and Richard O'Brien as the Singaporeans sent the Filipinos weeping on the ice.
It was a tough defeat for the defending champion, relegated to the bronze medal match against Malaysia on Sunday.
The Philippines blew a 2-0 first period lead after goals from John Fuglister and Francois Emmanuel Gautier.
But Lee and Kodrowski leveled the match in the second period, before Christopher Michael Chung Min Wong put Singapore ahead, 3-2, at the 48:13 mark of the third period.
Eishner Jigsmac Sibug rallied the Philippines with an amazing goal in the 59th minute that knotted the match at three goals apiece, but Kodrowski was quick to douse that rally 39 seconds after with the game-winner.
Singapore now heads to the gold medal match, where unbeaten Thailand lies in wait.
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