skip navigation

Ice Cats Split Series with Pittsburgh Predators to Start off the Season

By Jack O'Rourke '20, 11/20/17, 3:00PM EST

Share

The 2017-18 Saint Ignatius Prep Hockey team opened its season this past weekend by travelling to the “City of Bridges” to take on the 18U AAA Pittsburgh Predators.

The Wildcats, though playing a u18 team, kept the pace early and showed the Steel City Predators that they could hang with them. Seven minutes into the first period on Saturday, a defensive mistake led to a two-on-zero opportunity, and the Predators capitalized. Benny Savarino played an excellent first period, and after a heart-stopping save, the Wildcat netminder passed it to Greg Langermeier, who made an open ice pass to Eric Lile. Lile found himself on a breakaway and put the puck below the Predator goalies glove to tie the Wildcats up from the ‘Burgh.

The Wildcats’ penalty kill, led by ever-present junior David Strick, later turned back a Predator power play. Benny Savarino led the Wildcats through the first period and it resulted in a one to one stalemate.

The Wildcats’ penalty kill led the team through the early moments of the second period, before the Predators’ forwards scored two rebound goals that beat Savarino. The Predators led by two after the second period. In the first half of the third period, the Wildcats kept up with the Predators and showed signs of life, giving fans a hope that they could make a comeback reminiscent of last year’s state semifinal. The Predators took a slow shot from the point that deflected at the last second over the outstretched arm of Savarino to nullify those hopes. Bain Kurtz would score the final Wildcat goal of the game off of a faceoff play. A Predators empty net concluded the contest, and despite the performance from Benny Savarino, the Wildcats fell to a zero and one record.

Led by goaltender Nick Bernstein, the Wildcats came in the next morning and handled business efficiently. In the early moments of the contest, Michael Boehm made a cross ice pass right to the stick of teammate Rory Zawadzki. The sophomore had a wide open net and tapped the puck in to give the Wildcats the lead.

“I got the puck out of the corner and tried to find an open teammate, and I saw Rory open backdoor and he finished the tap-in”, said sophomore sensation Michael Boehm.

Bernstein played Kovesdy-esque in the first period, and the only flaw on his scoresheet came off a two on zero pass that tipped off a Predator stick, and for the second consecutive day, the Cats were tied at one against the Predators.

The second period of the second day’s contest was much different for the Wildcats, as they were able to add four goals to the scoreboard to take their first permanent lead of the young season. The Wildcat party started when assistant captain Connor McGowan left his defender in the dust and centered a pass to Eric Lile, who found twine as he beat the Predator goalie to put the Blue and Gold ahead. The Wildcats doubled their lead when Aidan Millett continued the trend of sophomores scoring their first career goals. Millett took a pass from behind the net and put it over the reaching glove of the netminder.

Star Wildcat defender Santino Pignatiello then scored a power play goal on a shot beating the Predator defender to put the Cats on top by three. Lile scored his third of the weekend and the Wildcats led 5-1 after the second period.

Saint Ignatius sophomore forward Joey Trobenter was the third Cat sophomore to get career goal No. 1, as he sniped the Predators goalie.

The Wildcats dominated the contest and evened up their record at 1-1-0 despite two late Predator goals.

“It was huge for us to come out and win game two," Connor McGowan said. "The young guys helped a lot, and especially after the first game of the season, the lack of chemistry together hurt. It's tough with few practices, but it will help the more we learn about each other.”

NEXT: The Shady Side Thanksgiving Tournament, games are Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 10 am and 4 pm, and Sunday TBD

WATCH: The SIBN will have the tournament covered with Jack O’Rourke, Max Marazzi, and Mac Spellacy, with updates on Twitter from @SIHSPREPHOCKEY