EDWARDSVILLE - Dean Schlarman and Luke Thomlinson scored power play goals early in the second period, but it was Balke Huneke’s goal with 1.3 seconds left in the period that was the big goal, as Edwardsville swept St. John Vianney Catholic in their Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association Class 2A semifinal playoff series 4-2 Thursday night at RP Lumber Center.
The Tigers swept the best-of-three series in two straight, allowing Edwardsville to advance to the final once again, where they’ll face the winner of the series between O’Fallon and Granite City.
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It was a great effort all around by the Tigers, and after the game, Edwardsville head coach Jason Walker said.
“The guys played great tonight," Walker said. "It was a tough game, both teams played outstanding, I thought. It was just a great night of high school hockey. I thought our guys were ready to play, all up and down the lineup, they played great, and we’re happy that we’re moving on.”
The two power play goals at the start of the second period, as well as the goal by Huneker before the end of the period, were important factors in the game.
“Blake’s goal at the end of the second period,” Walker said, “with a second left. That’s just a huge goal. Our first line was outstanding tonight, all the way down the lineup, we were great. But to get here, your top guys making plays like they did, that’s what you need to win. These guys were ready to play tonight, and they played outstanding.”
It's very satisfying to get the two-game sweep, especially against a quality team such as the Golden Griffins.
“We’re looking at it just as we know we need to get four wins,” Walker said. “You can’t get number three without getting number two, so you just take it a game at a time, and these guys, like I said, were ready to play tonight.”
It’s on to the final for the Tigers, and Walker doesn’t have a preference for who he’d rather be playing against.
“No, both teams are really talented,” Walker said/ “We played them both this year. Whatever team we play, it’s going to be a heck of a series.”
Of course, the extra rest can’t hurt the Tigers heading into the final, and Walker’s looking ahead to it.
“We’ve got a couple of days off,” Walker said, “we get to prepare. Next week’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Vianney scored first in the opening period, when Nick Jacobson took a pass from Landon Knittel and scored at 6:19 to five the Golden Griffins a 1-0 lead. The Tigers came right back to tie the game 1-1 on a goal by Caleb Brune, who took a pass from Atticus Arth and first a wrist shot past the Vianney goalie into the net. Near the end of the period, the Griffins took penalties that put Edwardsville on an extended five-on-three power play.
It paid off at 1:15, when Schlarman scored off a pass from Brune to give the Tigers the lead for good at 2-1, then scored another power-play goal 57 seconds later, at 2:12, when Thomlinson scored off a scramble in front, with Arth and Evan Stark getting the assists, to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
The Griffins made it 3-2 at 12:22, when Stephen Seago scored from Jacobson to make it 3-2, but Huneke all but iced the game at 13:58, taking a loose puck, skating in and scoring to make the score 4-2. The Tiger defense and goalie Brody Patton shut the door the rest of the way to give Edwardsville the win, putting the Tigers through to the final.
The Class 2A final between the Tigers and the Warriors-Panthers winner takes place next week, with the schedule to be announced by the MVCHA.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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