MCQUINN'S THIRD-PERIOD GOALS SHOW THE WAY, AS JOSH POTTS TURNS AWAY 32 SHOTS AND KEVIN JOSEPH DEALS TWO ASSISTS.
POSTED ON 1/14/11 AT 10:50 P.M.
GAME DETAILS COURTESY OF CHRIS ABOOD '11, BROTHER OF WILDCATS' STANDOUT LEFT WING MIKE ABOOD '12.
Trailing, 1-0, entering the third period, Saint Ignatius' varsity hockey team rode two goals by gifted sophomore center Miles McQuinn to a 2-1 triumph over Erie McDowell in Friday night's first round of the Meadville (Pa.) Tournament.
The Wildcats (17-5), who had defeated McDowell by five goals during last month's Saint Ignatius Christmas Tournament in Brooklyn, fell behind midway through the second period as McDowell scored off a power play.
In the third period, McQuinn, who is already flirting with 30 goals this season, tied the score off assists from Jacques DeVilliers and Kevin Joseph at the 3:17 mark. Three minutes later, McQuinn struck again, courtesy of an assist by Mike Abood and another lead-to-lighting-the-lamp by Joseph.
The 'Cats had 25 shots on goal, while McDowell tested Saint Ignatius' gritty senior goalie Josh Potts 33 times.
Saint Ignatius is scheduled to face Seneca Valley on Saturday at 11 a.m. Coach Pat O'Rourke's team will return to the Meadville ice on Saturday night at 8 to take on Erie Cathedral Prep.
HOCKEY TEAM ADVANCES TO THE SEMIFINALS OF THE MEADVILLE TOURNAMENT.
The Saint Ignatius varsity hockey team rode a hat trick by standout junior forward and captain Paddy Spellacy to a 6-0 victory over Seneca Valley in the second round of the annual Meadville Tournament in Pennsylvania on Saturday morning.
Also lighting the lamp for the 'Cats were Miles McQuinn, Kevin Joseph and Colton Riemenschneider. Junior goalie Matt Kovesdy stopped 11 shots.
On Saturday night, Saint Ignatius dominated Erie Cathedral Prep, 11-2, and will now face Meadville in Sunday's semifinals at 10 a.m. If successful, the Wildcats (19-5) will advance to Sunday's championship game against the winner of St. Edward vs. Erie McDowell. The title tilt is slated for 3 p.m.
Thanks to Chris Abood '11 for keeping us up to date on the hockey team while we were in Detroit covering the Wildcats' basketball sweep (varsity and junior varsity) of Detroit Jesuit.
SAINT IGNATIUS VARSITY HOCKEY RECAP.
'CATS BLANK MEADVILLE (PA.) IN THE SEMIFINALS AND GO ON TO DEFEAT ST. EDWARD IN SUNDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF THE ANNUAL MEADVILLE TOURNAMENT.
*PADDY SPELLACY IS NOW THE WILDCATS' CAREER LEADER IN GOALS.
Congratulations go out to Coach Pat O'Rourke '90 and the Saint Ignatius varsity hockey team for bringing home the championship trophy of the Meadville Tournament on Sunday.
The Wildcats (21-5) capped off a 5-0 weekend by defeating rival St. Edward, 3-2, in the championship game. It was the 'Cats' second victory in three meetings with the Eagles this season.
Saint Ignatius advanced to the title game by dominating Meadville, 6-0, in a semifinal match up on Sunday morning. In the five games, Coach O'Rourke's offense totaled 28 goals.
Junior goalie Matt Kovesdy posted his second shutout of the tournament against Meadville and accounting for the sweet six in that game were Miles McQuinn with two lamp lighters, underrated senior co-captain Kevin Joseph, Eamonn Walsh and the big-game tested tandem of Mike Abood and Liam Geither.
McQuinn, a gifted sophomore center, got things started against St. Edward by scoring on a power play off assists from Abood and Geither. It was the first of three assists for Abood, as the junior left wing/defender was a key play maker all weekend.
Trailing, 2-1, the Wildcats tied the score on a goal by junior forward Colton Riemenschneider off assists from Abood and Joseph. Geither, a junior right wing who plays with ice in his veins, provided the difference maker as he lit the lamp courtesy of assists by McQuinn and Abood.
Senior goalie Josh Potts had to come up with several key saves in a game that was described by Saint Ignatius hockey enthusiast Chris Abood '11, Mike's brother, as being “fierce and fighting hard.” The Eagles out shot the Wildcats, 45-30.
Tournament All-Star recognition went to junior captain and forward Paddy Spellacy, Abood, junior defender Will Smith and Potts.
*ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR PADDY
And while we are passing out congratulations, let's give a big tap of the stick to Spellacy, who this weekend became the program's all-time career leader in goals scored.
Paddy's hat trick against Seneca Valley in the second round of the Meadville Tournament gave him 82 goals for his young career, which surpassed the previous mark of 81 set by Sean O'Malley (2001-04).
In helping Saint Ignatius to a state championship last season, Paddy set the 'Cats' single-season mark for goals scored with a remarkable 43. His dad, Kevin, still holds the Wildcats' single-game record for goals with six against Normandy in 1980.
Again, congratulations to Paddy, his family and Coach O'Rourke's program.