MINI-GAME BOX SCORE
Notables
-Steeves had 69 saves between game two and the mini-game
-CSS suffers first-ever mini-game defeat (Had been 3-0)
-Star scored in both games of the series after missing the previous 12 games due to injury
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (
csssaints.com) – After Friday night's win, the St. Scholastica men's hockey team was a win or tie away from advancing in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) Harris Cup Playoffs. However, Marian University (Wis.) took game two on Saturday 4-1 and then would score in overtime of the mini-game to end the Saints' season.
Game 2
The Sabres (18-8-1) controlled much of game two outshooting the Saints 53-18 in the contest including a combined 42-5 in the first and third periods alone. However, with that being said, the game was scoreless through two periods as St. Scholastica goaltender
Zane Steeves (Red Deer, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (100 Mile Wranglers-KIJHL)) single-handedly kept the Saints in the contest.
Marian broke the scoreless tie five minutes into the third period. The Saints answered two minutes later as
Kyle Star (Langley, British Columbia/Brookswood (Trail Smoke-BCHL)) scored his second goal in as many nights to make it 1-1 with 13 minutes remaining.
Brent Jones (Hartland, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central HS (Trine)) and
Mike Nolan (Aldergrove, British Columbia/Yale Secondary (Fresno-WSHL)) had the assists.
Former Saints haunted St. Scholastica in the final 10 minutes of the contest at Nolan Ross scored a pair of goals and then brother Davis Ross added another in the final minute to give Marian the 4-1 game two victory and force a mini-game for a series winner.
Steeves had 49 saves for the Saints, while Hunter Vorva had 17 saves for the Sabres.
Mini-Game
So after game two ended the ice was cleared, lineup changes could be made and the teams went back onto the ice for a 20-minute mini-game to decide who would advance to the Harris Cup semifinals.
Marian scored first, just four minutes into the mini-game to make it 1-0. The Saints responded two minutes later as
Bradley Golant (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South HS (Hearst-NOJHL)) found the net to make it 1-1.
Nate Pionk (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS (Minot-NAHL)) and
Carson Rose (Surrey, British Columbia/Elgin Park Secondary (Weyburn-SJHL)) had the assists.
Steeves made some spectacular saves to keep the game tied at 1-1 and after 20 minutes, the mini-game went to sudden death overtime tied at 1-1. The Sabres outshot the Saints 16-9 in the 20-minute period.
With four minutes and 23 seconds elapsed in overtime, the Sabres' Clay Cross would be open on the weak-side of cage and would score the game-winner to propel Marian to the semifinals with a 2-1 mini-game victory in OT.
Steeves had 20 saves in the mini-game, while Vorva had 10 saves.
End of Season
The Saints see their season come to an end with a 9-17-1 overall record. CSS will say goodbye to six seniors in
Kyle Star (Langley, British Columbia/Brookswood (Trail Smoke-BCHL)),
Parker Weekes (Ketchum, Idaho/Holderness School (Boston Jr. Rangers-EHL)),
Mike Nolan (Aldergrove, British Columbia/Yale Secondary (Fresno-WSHL)),
Max Mettler (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS (Minot-NAHL)),
Dustin Cordeiro (Kitchener, Ontario/Elliot Lake Secondary School (Cochrane-NOJHL)) and
Zane Steeves (Red Deer, Alberta/Athol Murray College of Notre Dame (100 Mile Wranglers-KIJHL)).
For future information on the St. Scholastica men's hockey program, keep checking csssaints.com.
