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Front row, L-R - Jordan Hathaway, Ian Woolverton, John Schwartz, Mark Eckhardt, Dan Kern, Jacob Debus, Andrew Carey, Matthew Johnson. Michael Stafford
Not pictured - Bobby Hogan, Marc Torrente - Coach
Dress Lists for JV Playoff Game 2/12
Kern
Stafford *
Eckhardt
Debus
White
Woolverton
Parisot
Schwartz
Schneider
B Hogan
Behlmann
Heggie
Glassl
Einspanier
Colarelli
Trunko
Carey
Sheehan
Catt
Snodsmith
Thank you,
Recent Junior Varsity News
Chaminade coach Matt Hrubes is “thrilled” with the Frozen Four matchup his Red Devils ice hockey squad has coming up.
Chaminade (14-6-5) meets CBC (22-3-1) in the semifinals of the Challenge Cup. The first game is set for 8:40 on Thursday (Feb. 23) at the Hardee’s Ice Plex. Game 2 is set for 6 p.m. Friday (Feb. 25) at the same venue. On the other side of the bracket, Oakville faces St. Louis University High at 6:40 p.m. Thursday at the Hardee’s Ice Plex with Game 2 set for 8:30 p.m. Friday there as well.
The semifinal winners will meet for the Challenge Cup title at 8 p.m. March 7 at the Scottrade Center. CBC last won the Cup in 2009 and has 11 titles in school history. Chaminade has not won the Cup.
“What a great high school hockey atmosphere this will be,” Hrubes said. “Two great programs are matched up against each other. Our players and parents will remember this for the rest of their lives. I am excited to have my alma mater Chaminade back in the Frozen Four after not being there the last few years. These juniors and seniors have earned this opportunity.”
CBC coach John Jost agreed.
“We are very excited and look forward to the challenge,” Jost said.
Hrubes knows the CBC staff well. He said that is what will make this series a fun one for both coaching staffs and teams.
“I think I know as much as or more than any other coach in the league about the CBC coaches and what they want out of their players,” Hrubes said. “I am friends and played junior hockey with Nick Carasello and have been playing in the Senior Men’s League in Brentwood with Randy Staub and Johnny Jost for over 10 years. We all know each other well.”
During the regular season, the Cadets prevailed, going 2-0-1 against Chaminade. CBC scored victories of 5-1 and 4-1 in November and December. The two teams met last month and skated to a 3-3 tie.
However, Jost said he does not believe CBC has any huge edge in this series despite doing well against the Red Devils during the regular season.
“They have a very balanced attack offensively and defensively,” Jost said about Chaminade. “We have said all year they are as good as anyone in the league. This will be an outstanding series.”
Chaminade improved in each outing against CBC. That is a good sign, Hrubes said.
“They beat us our first two games against them, then we played to a 3-3 tie in our last outing against them,” Hrubes said. “We got better and better against them each time we played.”
Both squads are coming off tough quarterfinal series. CBC outlasted a determined DeSmet team while Chaminade got past Vianney.
DeSmet handed CBC a 2-0 in the series opener.
“We lacked intensity and really had a hard time sustaining a forecheck in Game 1 versus DeSmet,” Jost said.
Although the Cadets did not play well, Jost said he was not discouraged. He believed in his athletes they would be able to rally against the Spartans and advance in the playoffs.
“I had a lot of confidence we could come back and play much better in Game Two,” Jost said. “We certainly were concerned especially with the way their defense and goaltending played all series.”
CBC scored a 3-0 victory in the second game. Scoring for the Cadets were Matt Sieckhaus, Christian Argyros and Joe Lupo. Joe O’Brien played the entire 45 minutes in goal and recorded 12 saves in picking up the must-win game.
“We played much harder especially in what we call the unfun areas,” Jost said.
That win by CBC forced a 10-minute minigame. Neither team scored so it was on to a shootout to determine who would win the series and move on.
In the first round of three, CBC’s first two shooters missed. Meanwhile, DeSmet scored once and was up 1-0.
“The entire season rested on Glenn Ryan’s shoulders and he scored to move us on to the next round of three,” Jost said. “In that round, Drew Croghan scored to give us a 1-0 advantage and O’Brien stopped all three of their shot attempts, which allowed us to win.”
Jost acknowledged it was a tense time to be on the bench and watching it unfold.
“I was very nervous, in particular for the players who had so much pressure on them in the shootout,” Jost said. “They did a heck of a job.”
Chaminade tied Vianney 3-3 in their series opener.
“We came out strong and took a 2-0 lead,” Hrubes said. “However, a power-play goal and a deflection goal off our skates got them right back into it. We kept with our game plan and were able to pull out the 3-3 tie on a great goal by Tommy Daniels with just over 2 minutes to play.”
The tie did not put more pressure on Chaminade heading into the second game, Hrubes said. His Red Devils have a strong mental makeup.
“We were not under pressure at all,” Hrubes said. “We knew we could be a lot better than our effort from the first game and that is exactly what we did to win the second game. No matter what happened in the first game, we knew we had to win the second game. There was no difference in our game plan or how we approached the game except we were the home team now and were able to get the last change.”
Chaminade rose the challenge and won 6-4. It was a performance that left Hrubes proud of his team.
“Our top players really stepped up and had much better games than the previous game,” Hrubes said. “Toppie (Hogan) and John Hogan were all over them offensively as were seniors Andrew Dower and Tommy Daniels. Freshman Trey Dodd also had a big goal for us offensively. Seniors Brendan Wilson and Justin Roeder really stepped up their defensive play as well.
“We only allowed two shots in each of the second and third periods and shut them down offensively which is how we are successful.”
The Red Devils were more than ready to play. Hrubes said he had a good feeling heading into that decisive game.
“I am always excited for the games to begin and see how well prepared our players are,” Hrubes said. “If none of us were a little nervous or anxious, I would be concerned from the competitor’s standpoint. There are so many things going on out on the ice, on the bench, with the refs, trainers, and fans.
“I just wanted to make sure I was thinking a step ahead of every scenario that could present itself. The first period was way too loose and offered way to much offense for us to be successful. It was 5-3 after the first period. The players then calmed down and executed our game plan for the final two periods and made life a lot easier on the coaches.”
Now, the two teams meet to decide who gets to play for the Challenge Cup championship.
Jost said he knows what his players must do.
“We have to play with the same intensity and grit that we did in Game 2 against DeSmet,” Jost said. “If we don’t, it will be a long series because they have some forwards that can really hurt us.”
Chaminade is not taking anything for granted in the series, Hrubes said. They know the task in front of them.
“I know how they compete and how they want their kids to play the game,” Hrubes said about CBC. “They have one of the best defenses in the league not to mention their outstanding goaltending tandem. I am sure they will go with Joey O’Brien in goal for our series and he is a great kid.
“I would say 90 percent of it is mental to our team and it is time to get rid of that train of thought. We have to play our best defensive hockey of the season as a group in order to have success against CBC. If we work harder than them and support each other around the puck, we will have success. Our top players need to play their best hockey right now and cannot take one shift off.”
If Chaminade prevails, Hrubes will continue. If not, he said he is hanging up his whistle.
“This is my last season as the head coach for Chaminade after 16 years,” Hrubes said. “I want to go out like Tony La Russa did.”
Of course, La Russa retired after the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series.
For Hrubes, the ending has yet to be resolved.
Mid-States Club Hockey Association playoffs enter second round
The top-seeded teams — CBC and Lutheran South — survived the first round of the Mid-States Club Hockey Association championships and now it’s on to the second round for all the clubs that won.
The top-seeded teams — CBC and Lutheran South — survived the first round of the Mid-States Club Hockey Association championships and now it’s on to the second round for all the clubs that won.
In the Challenge Cup playoffs, the first-round winners were: CBC, DeSmet, Vianney, Chaminade, Oakville, Marquette and St. Louis University High.
CBC swept Francis Howell North 7-1 and 2-0 to advance. DeSmet ousted Lafayette 4-0 and 2-1 in its opening series.
In the second round, CBC faces DeSmet. Action begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 9) at Queeny Park.
Coach John Jost said he was pleased his Cadets advanced. However, he cautioned CBC needs to play a little better.
“I thought in the first game, we came out ready to go and played very well,” Jost said. “In the second game, I thought we lack a little intensity. Our youth came out a little in game No. 2.”
Sophomore goalie Joe Staely and junior goaltender Joe O’Brien drew praise from Jost for their roles in helping CBC prevail.
“I thought our goalies and defense were outstanding in both games,” Jost said. “Our captain, Matt Sieckhaus, really took over in particular the first game, which is good to see as he is a senior.”
Jost said his club benefitted from the series.
“Yes, it was a good test for us,” Jost said. “Howell North is a very good team, which is why they won the St. Charles Division.”
Now, CBC plays DeSmet, the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
“I think the seeding does not reflect how good of a series this will be,” Jost said. “DeSmet is much better than a No. 8 seed. I think both teams are excited for the challenge. It will be an outstanding series.”
The two squads met three times during the regular season. CBC won all three games by scores of 5-1, 2-0 and 3-1.
“We won but all were very close,” Jost said. “Two of them could have went either way.”
Regardless, Jost said he is expecting DeSmet to come in with the mindset to win the series. So, Jost knows what his Cadets must do to advance.
“We will need our goaltending and defense to continue to play consistently and get offense from all three lines,” Jost said.
Vianney eliminated Westminster Christian Academy. Vianney lost the series opener 4-3 but won the second game 6-4. In the mini-game to decide who advances, Vianney won 2-1. Chaminade sent MICDS home for the winter. The Red Devils won the opener 2-1 and then took the series with a 3-2 victory.
Vianney meets Chaminade in the second round. The series begins Friday (Feb. 10) with an 8:45 p.m. game at Webster Groves.
Chaminade coach Matt Hrubes said his club did just enough to win the opening series.
“We played well enough to win the series,” Hrubes said. “We still need work on playing the full 45 minutes and minimize the letdowns.”
What helped the Red Devils was how well they played a defense-minded game in the series, Hrubes said.
“They made a committment to a defense-first mentality and it paid off,” Hrubes said.
Playing MICDS in first round was good for his squad.
“It was the best test we could have had and will only make us better for the next series,” Hrubes said. “MICDS is very well coached and gave us everything they had and then some.”
The short time to get ready for Vianney is not a bid deal, Hrubes said.
“We have been preparing for this all season long no matter who our opponent is,” Hrubes said. “Both teams know each other pretty well. There are strengths and weaknesses on both sides. Whoever works the hardest and makes the fewest mistakes will come out on top.”
During the regular season, Chaminade won three of four matchups with Vianney.
“They beat us in the last game of the season and that really got our players’ attention,” Hrubes said. “It was a big-time wakeup call.”
The way to advance in the playoffs for the Red Devils by getting Vianney is not complicated, Hrubes said.
“We have to outwork Vianney, who is a very hard-working team,” Hrubes said. “If we outwork them for 45 minutes each game and make good decisions with the puck, we hope to control our own destiny. We do not want to get beat by their best players. “I know our guys are not ready for the season to end and they want this badly as any team I have coached over my 16 years here.”
Oakville topped Eureka twice by 6-1 and 7-1 margins. Lindbergh got by Kirkwood 4-1 in the first game of their series but lost the second game 2-1 before moving on by winning in a shootout.
Oakville plays Lindbergh at 7 p.m. Thursday at South County.
Marquette slipped past Summit. The Mustangs won the opener 4-3 but lost the second game 4-1. However, the Mustangs won in a shootout to advance to the second round. St. Louis University High whipped Pattonville 8-1 and 5-2 to advance.
Marquette squares off against St. Louis University High at 8 p.m. Friday at Affton.
Mustangs coach Ryan Kane said his club had a tough test in the opening round.
“We faced off against a very tough opponent in Rockwood Summit, who had a great season,” Kane said. “They are a tough team and we had to play some great hockey to beat them. The first game of the series was a close one, but we stepped up our game and came away with the victory. I felt that we played well and our compete level was very high.
“We were a little flat in the second game of the series. I do not feel that we played well, but Summit contributed to that lack of success with their sense of urgency. They outworked us in a lot of areas and played with more intensity.”
That second-game loss forced the extra game to decide who would advance. A minigame is a 10-minute contest that is played immediately afterward. If there is no score, then a shootout is held.
“We bounced back quickly,” Kane said. “In Game 3, we dominated play, but could not score. I was very proud of our boys because they did not get down, they brushed off the Game 2 loss, which was not easy to do, and found a whole new level of play for Game 3.”
In the shootout, junior Nick Nast and senior Kevin Gregory put the puck away for Marquette. Junior goaltender Michael Robinson stopped two of the three Rockwood Summit shooters to secure the win for the Mustangs.
“It was an electric atmosphere during the entire series which made the win even more memorable,” Kane said. “This series was a great test for the character of our hockey team. It was an opportunity to push the level of our play to a point where we could be competitive moving forward.
“Our season was very inconsistent and we couldn’t find our game, but during this series, we came together and found some much needed chemistry.”
Now the No. 10-seeded Mustangs face No. 2-ranked SLUH in the second round.
“Many would argue that despite the No. 2 ranking, SLUH is the most talented team in Mid-States this season and has the best chance to win state,” Kane said. “The only people that think we have a chance to win this series are wearing blue and green jerseys. We are the underdogs, but we know that if we stick to the game plan and outwork SLUH, we can and will beat them.”
The two clubs met almost two months ago with SLUH scoring a 9-2 victory. It’s not a game Kane likes to remember.
“It was not pretty and was a good wake-up call to our players about what it will take the beat the top teams this season,” Kane said. “I think that game can work to our advantage. We are a different team now than we were then and they could very well take us lightly.”
To prevail in this series, Kane said the Mustangs “will need to outwork SLUH and play a very intelligent game.”
Kane said he has discussed what needs to be done by his squad.
“We have a plan and we need to commit to it,” Kane said. “I think our special teams need to get hot during this series as well as our goalie, Michael Robinson. It will be a great challenge to beat SLUH, but I know we are up for it and have faith in the heart and tenacity of our players.”
In the Wickenhauser Cup playoffs, the first-round winners were: Lutheran South, Holt, Seckman, Fort Zumwalt East, Francis Howell Central, Duchesne, Whitfield and Fort Zumwalt West.
Lutheran South eliminated Parkway North 8-1 and 9-2. Wentzville Holt stopped Northwest, winning 2-1 in a shootout. Holt won the opener 5-1 but lost the second game 4-2.
Lutheran South faces Holt at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Lindenwood to begin second-round action.
Seckman got by Timberland by winning 4-0 in the first game and tying 1-1 in the second. Fort Zumwalt East ousted Clayton 10-4 and 5-2 in the first round.
Seckman plays Fort Zumwalt East with the series beginning at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at the Rec-Plex South.
Francis Howell Central eliminated Priory 6-0 and 6-1. Duchense beat Francis Howell 4-2 but lost the second game 6-2. In the minigame, Duchesne won 1-0 to move on.
Francis Howell Central meets Duschesne beginning at 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Rec-Plex South.
Whitfield, last year’s Founders Cup champion, moved up this season and won its first-round series. The Warriors tied Parkway South 4-4 in the opener but won the decisive second game 3-1. Fort Zumwalt West defeated Fort Zumwalt North by 4-1 scores in each game.
Whitfield meets Fort Zumwalt North at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Hardees Ice Plex.
Atlantic Hockey Names Monthly Award Winners for January
Atlantic Hockey Player of the Month - Brett Gensler - Bentley
Atlantic Hockey Player of the Month |
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Brett Gensler - Bentley Sophomore, Forward, St Charles, Mo. Gensler finished the month of January leading Atlantic Hockey in assists (20) and points (30) after recording a 7-9-16 line in 10 games this month and had a point in all but one game. His efforts helped the Falcons go 3-3-3 in conference play and put them in contention for a first round bye in the postseason. His high for the month was a four-point effort against Holy Cross on Jan. 24 where he recorded a hat trick, scoring two goals in the third period to help Bentley rally for a tie. Three days later at Army he had three assists in a 6-2 win and was named the conference’s Player of the Week on Jan. 30. Gensler also had two assists in a win over Robert Morris Jan. 6 and had a goal and two assists in a series at Air Force Jan. 13 & 14 where Bentley took three points. OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED: Cole Schneider, Connecticut; Daniel Bahntge, Mercyhurst; Chris Haltigin, RIT; Cody Crichton, Robert Morris. |
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Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Month |
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Chris Noonan - Niagara Senior, Goaltender, Portage, Mich. Noonan had a great month for the Purple Eagles, leading the team to a 6-2-0 record during the month of January…Noonan played in every game, starting seven of them…Noonan recorded his first shutout of the season (2nd of his career), his first on home ice in a 3-0 win over Army on Jan. 14, 2012…Noonan earned a 1.18 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage after stopping 209 of 218 shots in the month…Noonan’s stellar play has launched Niagara on a six-game winning streak heading into the month of February…As of post-game on Saturday Jan. 28, Niagara has allowed 38 goals in AHA play, which is the second fewest amount in the conference…Noonan ended the month 2nd in the nation in goals-against average (1.69), first in the nation in save percentage (.942) and 10th in the nation in save percentage (.679)…Because of Noonan’s stellar play, Niagara ended the month 13th nationally in team defense, giving up on average 2.42 goals per game…Noonan has allowed five goals in his last six games. OTHER GOALIES NOMINATED: Garrett Bartus, Connecticut; Shane Madolora, RIT; Brooks Ostergard, Robert Morris. |
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Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Month |
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Alex Grieve - Bentley Freshman, Forward, Calgary, Alberta After finishing the first half of the season with just three goals, Grieve heated up in January with a 7-6-13 line, which was second on the team in each category. He’s now at 10-9-19 for the season, which ties him for the team lead in goals and is second in points. He scored the game-winning goal with 9.7 seconds left against Robert Morris Jan. 6, breaking a 1-1 tie. He scored once in each game at Air Force Jan. 13 & 14 as Bentley took three points. In the final week of the month he scored three goals and handed out four assists, including a goal and two assists against Holy Cross Jan. 24 and two goals and one assist at Army Jan. 27. Those performances earned Grieve Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week honors. OTHER ROOKIES NOMINATED: Nardo Nagtzaam, Mercyhurst; Chris Lochner, Niagara; Brad McGowan, RIT; Cody Wydo, Robert Morris. |
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http://www.atlantichockeyonline.com/
Stampede Captain Chooses Penn State University
- 01/30/2012, 12:47am (CST)
