A three-goal second period gets the state's top ranked Wildcats going and Saint Ignatius responds after Bethel Park makes a dramatic comeback during opening night of the 17th annual Meadville Bulldog Hockey Invitational.
SCORING COURTESY OF BRIAN MCQUINN
Coach Pat O’Rourke's Ice Cats took the upper hand on second-period goals by sophomore forwards Matty Geither and Brady Wells and senior defenseman and Assistant Captain Joey Malone.
Geither scored off assists from fellow sophomore forwards Ethan Whitney and Kevin Yarcusko, Wells made made it 2-0 off an assist from freshman forward Jared Stepka and Malone gave Saint Ignatius a three-goal advantage by sending an assist in the zone from senior Captain Miles McQuinn storming into the net.
In hockey, a three-goal lead with an entire period remaining to be played is far from safe. And Bethel Park showed why.
Taking advantage of Saint Ignatius penalties, Bethel Park(9-4) scored three unanswered goals in the early going of the third period.
However, just when Mr. Momentum appeared to be in a Pennsylvania state of mind, the Ice Cats flashed the credentials that have led them to three consecutive Meadville tournament championships and six overall.
McQuinn and sophomore forward Jack Wiegandt put Coach O’Rourke’s team back in front when McQuinn carried the puck into the zone, beat the left defenseman, went behind the net and then fed Wiegandt in front for the decisive lamp lighter.
Ice Cats junior defenseman Nick Gajkowski left no doubt when he sent the puck the length of the ice for an open-net goal.
Saint Ignatius will now face the Meadville Bulldogs on Saturday morning at 7:15 and will return to the DeArment Ice Arena at 2:45 Saturday afternoon for a faceoff with Erie Cathedral Prep.
A CORNER NOTE TO NIBBLE ON: Meadville has won just one championship in the previous 16 years of its tournament and that came in 2003, when the Bulldogs prevailed 3-2 in double overtime over none other than Saint Ignatius.
In 2011, the Ice Cats defeated Meadville in the semifinals, 6-0.