GILMOUR ACADEMY – Last season, Gilmour Academy edged St. Edward for the Great Lakes Hockey League regular season title and it looks like this season’s title race could come down to the Lancers and Eagles again when the two teams go head-to-head at Gilmour Ice Arena Saturday at 5:50 p.m.  Gilmour has come up short against St. Edward twice this season in non-league games, including a 3-1 loss two weeks ago at the Father Styles Showcase. The Lancers are ranked #3 in the state coach’s poll.

HOLY NAME – A busy weekend of league play awaits Holy Name beginning with a trip to Serpentini Winterhurst Arena in Lakewood Friday night.  Shaker Heights and Gilmour Academy are also on the docket for the Green Wave in what will be a very challenging three days…Dom Lugo scored all three goals for the Namers in their 3-3 tie with Padua Franciscan last Friday. Mathias Sizov made 40 saves in the game, raising his save percentage for the season to .907…The Namers have not won since a 4-3 victory over Benedictine on December 11, going 0-7-1 in that span.

PADUA FRANCISCAN – As tournament time approaches, Padua Franciscan is getting some good experience playing tight games, with three of their last four games decided by a single goal or tied…Conor Nagle scored all three Bruins goals last Friday against Holy Name. Andrew Lampa assisted on all three goals. It was his eighth multi-point game of the season. The senior forward now leads the team in assists (17) and points (21)…Goaltender Aiden Knox stopped 61 of 65 shots against Holy Name and Walsh Jesuit last weekend, taking a shutout into the final second of a 1-0 loss to Walsh.

SHAKER HEIGHTS – Shaker Heights is gearing up for the Cleveland Cup by playing some close games against top competition.  After a 3-2 loss against Gilmour Academy and a 3-3 tie with University School last weekend, Tyler Lencewicz scored a goal in each period Wednesday night but the Red Raiders fell short at Gilmour, 4-3. That’s three games against teams ranked in the Top 10 in the state. The Red Raiders go up against US again on Friday at Thornton Park.

ST. EDWARD – St. Edward, the #1 team in the Ohio coach’s poll, holds its fate in its own hands heading down the stretch drive. The Eagles are on the hunt for their first Great Lakes Hockey League regular season title in addition to their first Cleveland Cup…Noah Schultz (20-16-36) and Sean Kolenich (17-19-36) are tied for the team and league lead in scoring. Schultz is the first player in the GLHL to hit the 20-goal plateau this season…It remains to be seen who the Eagles will lean on in net for the big post-season games ahead. Ethan Payne, Evan Wrightsman and Jackson Miller have all seen their share of playing time in the St. Edward crease.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL – University School collected three of four points last weekend, defeating Holy Name, 9-0, and tying Shaker Heights, 3-3.  Sam Heller, Sam Wade and Sammy Martin each scored twice, and Evan Crawford posted a 16-save shutout in the win over the Green Wave…Heller has points in eight of the last nine games, producing 12 points (5-7-12) in that span…Crawford is 5-2-0 with a 2.62 goals-against average and .887 save percentage on the season…US is 5-2-1 over their last eight games and ranked #7 in the state.

WALSH JESUIT – Zach Firment stopped all 39 Padua shots and Josh Weiner scored the only goal of the game in the final second of regulation time as Walsh Jesuit defeated the Bruins 1-0. It was Weiner’s team-leading 11th goal of the season. He also leads the Warriors in assists (9) and points (20).  It was the second shutout of the season for Firment, who has stopped 90 of 94 shots over his last four starts and now sports an 8-3-0 record with a 2.07 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.

John Pape, University School

University School senior forward John Pape was the Great Lakes Hockey League Player of the Week for the week of January 18.

Pape collected three points in a Preppers win Saturday at Holy Name, scoring a goal and assisting on two more.

"John is a player that has been making plays for this program for years dating back to his assist on the game winning goal in the district final his sophomore year," said University School head coach Andy Gerow. "He led us in points and goals last year as a junior and now this year he brings it every time he’s on the ice."

The senior, who leads US in goals (10) and points (21) this season, picked up another goal and assist in a 3-3 tie with Shaker Heights Sunday.

"We usually think of John as a goal scorer but last week he showed he can get teammates involved," said Gerow.  "John utilizes his strength and speed to make plays. He's a gamer so no matter what game it is, we know we are going to get everything we got from him which is what you want from your captain."

PREVIOUS WINNERS: Nick Flowers, University School (Dec. 7); Ethan Payne & Evan Wrightsman, St. Edward (Dec. 14); Tyler Lencewicz, Shaker Heights (Dec. 21); Kessel Richards, Gilmour Academy (Dec. 28); Sean Kolenich, St. Edward (Jan. 4); Charlie Huscroft, Walsh Jesuit (January 11)