Cleveland, Ohio - No, it wasn’t as dramatic as the five-overtime will-tester they played in the Baron Cup 1 semifinal last winter. That turned out to be the longest game in the 42-year-old history of the tradition rich- tournament and had a true destiny’s child come to the fore in the form of Saint Ignatius forward Danny Brogan (see the corner’s 2013-14 hockey preview that was posted on Monday night).

However, Friday evening’s matchup between the outstanding hockey teams from Saint Ignatius and University School, won by the Preppers in a shootout, was like almost all of the encounters between these first class
programs, one you carry with you for at least a few days.

Yes, it was just the season opener. Although having the distinction of being played on a professional ice rink in Quicken Loans Arena, and the fact that it was the inaugural game for the new Great Lakes Hockey League, certainly added to the atmosphere.

But then as any true area high school hockey guru will tell you, the Wildcats and the Preppers could face off at 7 AM in the Brooklyn Ice Arena or University School’s home ice, The Pond, and they would still bring out
the best in each other.

Friday evening, as Wildcats head coach Pat O’Rourke ’90 emphasized, came down to the Preppers being a little more efficient in the power-play situations and getting an outstanding performance in goal from senior Drew Megerian. Through three periods and the five-minute overtime, Megerian saved 44 of Saint Ignatius’ 47 shots and his diving save in the shootout preceded senior forward Matt Kaufman’s game winner.

The Wildcats, as the shots on goal (47-22) will attest to, were definitely the aggressor from the opening drop of the puck.

Saint Ignatius took a 1-0 lead on a text-book, power-play goal by junior right wing Matty Geither with 4 minutes and 46 seconds remaining in the first period. Matty’s first lamp lighter for 2013-14 came off an assist from sophomore center Aidan Spellacy. A Spellacy to a Geither and vice versa, we’ve certainly heard that before.

A penalty on the Wildcats with just 30.9 seconds remaining in the first period gave University School the man advantage, and Coach Bill Beard’s team wasted little time in taking advantage of it.

Preppers senior captain and defenseman Clarke Jones, a first-team ALL-GLHL preseason selection, slapped home the tying goal with 21 seconds left in the opening period and it stayed that way entering the second
period. Saint Ignatius outshot the Preppers, 19-6, over the first 15 minutes.

Riding the momentum of Jones’ lamp lighter, University School took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal by another first-team ALL-GLHL preseason pick – junior forward Evan Krueger – with less than two minutes gone in the second period. Krueger’s effort came off assists from Jones and senior defenseman and assistant captain Andrew Domonkos.

In the final 9:43 of the second period, the Preppers killed off two power play opportunities for Saint Ignatius and held that one goal advantage entering the third period after Wildcats sophomore goalie Wes Deacon came up with a sequence of nice saves, including a stop off a 1-on-1 situation.

Deacon was making his first appearance in goal for Coach O’Rourke’s program after playing for the Barons' youth team last winter.

After Megerian smothered two more shots in the early going of the third period, Saint Ignatius’ gifted senior forward and captain Beck Schultz tied the score on what was the first goal of the evening that didn’t come off a power play.

Senior forward Brian Fitzgerald assisted on Beck’s goal.

Saint Ignatius, which received the top ranking in the GLHL’s preseason coaches’ poll, appeared to be skating alongside Mr. Momentum after the Ice Cats killed off yet another power play advantage for University School,
Deacon made an impressive rejection and junior forward Kevin Yarcusko powered home a shot past Megerian.

Kevin's goal gave Saint Ignatius a 3-2 lead with 4:13 remaining in the third period. Junior forward and assistant captain Jack Wiegandt assisted on Kevin’s authoritative lamp lighter.

University School, to no one's surprise, kept its composure and knotted the score at 3 on a goal by sophomore forward Ryan Gorbett off a smooth assist from senior defenseman Andrew Dorogi with 3:25 left in regulation.

Saint Ignatius was on the power play with 32.4 seconds remaining in the third period, but the Preppers killed off the man advantage and forced the five-minute overtime.

Both teams were up to the task in the overtime and the game was then decided on a shootout.

The Wildcats’ big-game tested senior forward, Captain Harry Smith, was up first in what is a 1-on-1 battle with the goalie. Harry fired home his goal and Krueger answered for University School.

Geither was money on a shot that gave the Ice Cats a 2-1 lead in the shootout and the Saint Ignatius faithful were on their feet roaring after Deacon came up with a clutch save.

However, Megerian knocked away a shot, the Preppers tied it at 2-2 on a goal by Jones, Deacon rejected another shot and Saint Ignatius junior forward Ethan Whitney and Preppers sophomore left wing Robert Engoglia exchanged goals, setting the stage for the decisive sequence.

Megerian, who at times was nothing less than a one-man army, came up with a save while lying on his back and Kaufman delivered the winning goods before being mobbed by his teammates. Just another season opener? I think not.

Coach O’Rourke, who will lead his Ice Cats against Bethel Park (PA) on Friday at 3 PM in the annual Walsh Jesuit Thanksgiving Day Weekend tournament at Kent State University, was quite pleased with most of what his team did on the ice at The Q, again with the exception of the power-play sequences.

“What a better way to start off the league than to have it go with a shootout like that,” said Coach Beard, who entered this season with more than 300 career victories. “Playing Saint Ignatius always seems to be a good tight battle.

"It was no secret the difference tonight was our goalie play," Coach Beard continued. "He (Megerian) kept us alive through the first period. Saint Ignatius was the more aggressive team in the first period and we weren’t moving our feet a lot. That’s what really hurt us. But Ignatius was the aggressive team early.”

Coach Beard said he can sympathize a bit with Coach O’Rourke, as he recalled how his Preppers once lost a district final despite outshooting Mentor, 78-17.