skip navigation

Ice Cats Ready for Trip to Face Fox Motors U18

By Jack O'Rourke '20, 01/04/18, 11:15AM EST

Share

This weekend, your Saint Ignatius Wildcats hockey team travels to Grand Rapids, Michigan to face Fox Motors U18.

The 15-2-1 prep team is currently ranked No. 1 in the OHSAA by MHR and the Coaches Poll. The Wildcats are coming off a 4-0-1 weekend, winning the 25th Annual Purple Puck Tournament in Washington D.C. The Cats averaged 4.40 goals per game in the Nation’s capital, which is a spike despite the tough competition.

The Wildcats’ scoring outburst can be attributed to excellent line work and capitalization on the powerplay. Despite his excellent defensive work, since being moved to forward, Michael Boehm has been a great playmaker added onto the two-headed monster of Bain Kurtz and Michael McCaffrey. Connor McGowan has been scoring like crazy since teaming up with Eric Lile and Aidan Millett. Lile and Millett are two aggressive forwards who make a home scoring goals. Alex Bilardo and Joey Trobenter have also found the back of the net quite often, as they play alongside always energized two way forward Charlie Klenkar.

David Strick has been contributing as a great penalty killer with offensive ability. Camden Kurtz has shown flashes of brother Bain in his time period and will one day have paragraphs of articles about him. Andrew Denk and Rory Zawadzki both have shown they can finish when called upon.

In the Wildcats’ 13-game unbeaten streak, a key part of the Wildcats’ success has been the outstanding play of junior goaltender Benny Savarino. Savarino, who holds an 11-1-0 record during the streak, has allowed more than three goals just once during the streak. Savarino has been on a hot streak to start his second campaign as the Wildcats’ starting goalie, and he is constantly improving at his craft.

Nick Bernstein remains undefeated in the pipes and will have Savarino’s back on Friday. The Wildcats’ defensive fort has been held down by a young six this season. Senior Santino Pignatiello, who is one of the best offensive defensemen in the state, has done well recently and shows his knack for scoring. Greg Langermeier is the perfect defenseman for you if you are a fan of big hits and slap shots beating goalies. Aedan and Aidan Conway have formed a reliable pair for the Wildcats and share the bond of the same name. Aedan is a junior and a second year letterman, while Aidan is the only representative of the class of 2021 and plays linebacker. Charlie Erbs and Clay Gazdak are two of the finest defensive defensemen in the state. Both have made major strides since joining the prep team in November. Gazdak recently became a defenseman just months ago.

Fox Motors is the No. 38 ranked Midget Major team in the USA. MHR has FM as the two goal favorite heading into Friday’s contest. The 12-16-1 Fox Motors team has been led so far this year by Michael Muschitiello. Muschitiello has 17 points and along with Carter O'Neill and Max Tucker lead the first line. Russian native Nikita Kholkin has about a point per game despite playing defense. Between the pipes, Derek Fournier and Cam Kalleward have split time and both hover around giving up about two goals per game.

Puck drop is Friday at 8 pm. SIBN will have live coverage of the weekend’s games.