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Walsh Jesuit knocks out University School

By Scott Harrington, 02/27/21, 9:15PM EST

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Warriors advance to district final for third time in five years.

Jackson Holzapfel scored the winning goal in the third period and Zach Firment stopped 23 of 24 shots as Walsh Jesuit edged University School, 2-1 victory over Great Lakes Hockey League rival University School in a Brooklyn East District semifinal game.

The Warriors move on to the Brooklyn East District Final next Saturday against Mentor of the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League.

The two teams came out for the third period tied, 1-1, and the Preppers kept Walsh hemmed in their own zone for the first two minutes of the period, but US was unable to bury any of their chances on Firment, who stopped all nine shots he faced in the final frame.

It was the Warriors who capitalized when Holzapfel broke up a play at his own blue line, skated all the way to the top of the left circle at the US end of the ice, and slung a shot on goal along the ice using a defender as a screen. It the puck slid under the pads of US goaltender Jeffrey Fillion (30 saves) and hit the back of the net to give the Warriors their first lead of the game.

"I'm just really proud of the kids," said Walsh Jesuit head coach Peter Calleri. "The way they work. The way they fight. The way they grind. Our team is just a gritty team that grinds out games and tries to bang in pucks. We work for everything we get."

The two teams played to a scoreless tie through a briskly-paced first period. The Warriors showed they came to play, peppering Fillion with 12 shots.

Kellen McGarry of University School broke the ice 3:27 into the second period with Sam Wade and Mark Berglund collecting assists.

Midway through the second period the physical play really started to pick up with both teams throwing hits and fighting hard for pucks along the boards.

"We try to stay away from that stuff but we don't mind it," Calleri said. "We tried to keep our guys as level-headed as possible there at the end and just get the puck out of the danger area in front of the net and survive."

With just 2:04 to play in the middle frame, Walsh tied it up. Jake Ambach threw a shot on goal that Fillion stopped, but he was unable to corral the rebound and Hunter Nalepka was there to cash in. Abmach and Joe Holzter earned helpers on the tying goal.

The Preppers came out strong at the start of the third period, but Firment and the Warriors withstood the early surge and went ahead on the Holzapfel tally.

With 5:21 to go in the game, Noah Colasanti almost have Walsh an insurance goal. He kept a puck in at the blue line, took a few steps down the slot and fired a shot that went past Fillion’s blocker but hit the post and landed under the Preppers goalie.

Fillion also made a big stop on Joe Holtzer with 3:45 remaining. Holtzer held onto the puck on a two-on-one and took a shot that Fillion swallowed up.

University School head coach Andy Gerow took his timeout and pulled Fillion with a faceoff in the Walsh Jesuit zone and 1:37 left on the clock.

The Preppers had four quality chances in the final 45 seconds but Firment stood tall. There was a shot from the point that was re-directed and bounced on net. Colin Counahan squeezed a shot off from 15 feet out but missed high.  

Walsh put the puck over the glass with 10 seconds left. On the ensuing faceoff, the puck came to Sam Heller and the US forward had a shot from 10-feet out in the slot. Another attempt from the right circle was collected by Firment at the buzzer and the Warriors advanced.

"It was a great win for the kids," Calleri said.

Walsh Jesuit played in the Kent District Final in 2017 and 2018, losing to University School both times.

 

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest