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Connor Koehnke's Heroics Grant Ice Cats 3-2 Win over St. Edward

By Joe Ginley , 12/03/16, 7:30PM EST

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BROOKLYN, OHIO - A fierce early season matchup brought a near-capacity crowd to the John M. Coyne Recreation Center in Brooklyn late Saturday afternoon, as the Saint Ignatius Wildcats and St. Edward Eagles faced off in the only regular season matchup between the two squads this season.

This year’s contest sits early on the schedule for both teams, but the matchup had all the makings of a classic showdown between the West side rivals.

The Ice Cats emerged victorious, 3-2, late in overtime after tying the game in the final minute of regulation.

The hero of the day for the Wildcats was Connor Koehnke, as the senior captain scored both the tying and game-winning goals.

With 42 seconds left in regulation, the Wildcats trailed 2-1. Though the Ice Cats led in shots on goal all night, the Eagles’ goalkeeper Andrew Stewart put forth an impressive effort to keep the Eagles in the lead.

But then Connor Koehnke came open at the circle on the left side. The senior received a pass from Grayson Gerard, and rocketed a shot into the net to tie the game and send the Wildcats fans to their feet. Chris Revnew adding an assist on the goal that sent the game to an 8-minute, 4-on-4 overtime period.

The squads each sent promising shots towards the net to start the overtime stanza. Ryan Rockwell backhanded one shot into Savarino’s chest early in the period, allowing the Wildcats to breathe easy after the breakaway chance. The Wildcats also used an aggressive approach on offense, sliding several shots at goalkeeper Andrew Stewart.

The mentality paid off, as Koehnke found an opening on the near-side circle with 1:30 left in the overtime. The senior standout wristed a picture-perfect shot into the top right corner of the net and send the Wildcats’ players out onto the ice in celebration.

The Wildcats advance to 4-2 on the year, following a 3-0 win over Walsh Jesuit at the Quicken Loans Arena on Friday afternoon.

Victory did not appear so sure early in the game.

The Eagles roared out of the gate to start, scoring 10 seconds into the contest. Curtis Szelesta touched the twine for the visitors, giving St. Edward a quick 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats responded with several promising shots and killed off a tripping penalty midway through the period. Then, the Wildcats received a golden opportunity, as the Eagles committed a pair of penalties, granting the Ice Cats a 5-on-3 opportunity.

Grayson Gerard found an opening in the middle of the ice, and fired home a shot on a centering pass from Benji Rechnin. Grayson’s goal tied the score at 1 with 5:25 left in the opening period. The teams exchanged shots for the rest of the period, but the first stanza ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Wildcats managed more shots to start the second period, but to no avail. The Ice Cats peppered the Eagles’ net with chances on a powerplay late in the middle period, but the score remained tied at 1 heading into the third. After two, the Wildcats held a decisive 18-7 advantage in shots on goal.  

Bain Kurtz nearly gave the Wildcats the lead early in the 3rd, tapping a dangerous shot on net at the end of a breakaway less than a minute into the period. But the Eagles stood strong and reset quickly on offense. Danny McGuire slotted a shot past goalkeeper Benny Savarino low on the stick side, breaking the deadlock 1:11 into the period. Stephen O’Sullivan received credit for the assist for the Eagles.

A St. Edward hooking penalty midway through the third granted the Wildcats a chance to even the score on the powerplay. But the Eagles fended off each promising Wildcats’ chance and gripped the lead tightly.

The Eagles nearly added to the lead late in the period, if not for the heroic efforts of Savarino in net against the St. Edward powerplay unit. The Wildcats battled to the end, too.

The Wildcats return to action on December 13 against Holy Name.