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This Week in the Great Lakes Hockey League

By Scott Harrington, 01/20/22, 9:15PM EST

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Now the fun starts!

It’s getting to be crunch time. High school teams across Ohio have a pretty good idea what kind of team they have after playing 20-25 games including multiple tournaments. Now it’s time to focus on league play over the final three weeks of the OHSAA regular season as teams jostle for seeding in their respective league tournaments including the Great Lakes Hockey League’s Cleveland Cup.

St. Edward (5-0-0) is the only GLHL team that remains without a loss in league play and, as such, the Eagles control their destiny. They boast a four-point lead over Gilmour Academy and Padua Franciscan heading into a weekend that features six league games in three days.

University School, at 2-2-0 in the GLHL, still has an outside shot at first place but both of their losses came at the hands of St. Edward, so they are going to need some help. The regular season champion will get a first-round by while the other six teams play quarterfinal games. 

Walsh Jesuit (3 GLHL losses), Shaker Heights (4) and Holy Name will try to finish strong and improve their quarterfinal draw.

GLHL SHOWS WELL AT MLK TOURNAMENTS – All seven of the GLHL’s member schools competed in tournaments or showcases over the holiday weekend and, thankfully, the snow held off until most of the games had been played – although there were some cancellations on the final day of the Jesuit Classic.

St. Edward represented the Cleveland area well in Western PA for the Meadville MLK Tournament, playing five games in three days and defeating the hosts in the championship tilt.

Walsh Jesuit hosted the Jesuit Classic. There were a few Monday games snowed out, and the championship game involved a pair of out-of-region teams, but both Shaker Heights and the host Warriors knocked off #10 Bowling Green along the way. Padua and Holy Name also competed in the tournament, which saw Olentangy Liberty defeated Findlay for the title.

University School advanced to the championship game of the Mark Rasmus Invitational in Sylvania, but lost in overtime to Sylvania Northview, and Gilmour beat Upper Arlington (ranked #4 in the state) and #9 St. Charles Prep at the Father Styles Showcase hosted by Saint Ignatius.

RECENT RESULTS

Holy Name, Padua, Shaker and Walsh at Jesuit Classic
University School at Mark Rasmus Invitational (Sylvania)
Gilmour Academy at Father Styles MLK Showcase (Strongsville & Brooklyn)
St. Edward at Meadville (PA) MLK Tournament

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12
St. Edward 5, Shaker Heights 0 *

Rocky River 5, Holy Name 0

FRIDAY, JAN. 14
Buffalo St. Francis (NY) 1, Gilmour Academy 0
St. Edward 1, Bethel Park (PA) 1
University School 6, Sylvania Northview 0

SATURDAY, JAN. 15
Gilmour Academy 6, St. Charles 0
Olentangy Liberty 4, Walsh Jesuit 1
University School 3, Dublin Jerome 1
St. Edward 2, North Allegheny (PA) 2
Shaker Heights 5, Bowling Green 1
Gilmour Academy 2, St. Viator 1
Findlay 5, Padua Franciscan 3
St. Edward 4, Medina 1
University School 3, Toledo St. John’s 0

SUNDAY, JAN. 16
Walsh Jesuit 7, Holy Name 0
St. Edward 4, Peter’s Township (PA) 3 (OT)
Sylvania Northview 1, University School 0 (OT)
Gilmour Academy 4, Upper Arlington 2
St. Edward 6, Meadville 2
Bowling Green 4, Padua Franciscan 3 (OT)
Findlay 4, Shaker Heights 1

MONDAY, JAN. 17
Walsh Jesuit 5, Bowling Green 4

THIS WEEK’S ACTION

FRIDAY, JAN. 21
Walsh Jesuit @ Gilmour Academy, 4:30pm *
Saint Ignatius @ St. Edward, 6pm
University School @ Shaker Heights, 7:45pm *

SATURDAY, JAN. 22
Gilmour Academy @ Saint Ignatius, 4:45pm
St. Edward @ Shaker Heights, 7:15pm *
Walsh Jesuit @ Holy Name, 8:30pm

SUNDAY, JAN. 23
Holy Name vs. Padua Franciscan, 10:30am * (@ Brooklyn)
Gilmour Academy @ University School, 5:30pm

* GLHL League Game

GLHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK (WEEK OF JAN. 10)

COLIN COUNAHAN, UNIVERSITY SCHOOL 

Colin Counahan picked up seven points (4-3-7) in four games to help University School to a runner-up finish at the Mark Rasmus Invitational and is the Great Lakes Hockey League Player of the Week for his efforts.

Counahan and the Preppers started out strong in the opening game against Sylvania Northview. The senior defenseman scored two goals and assisted on two others. He picked up three points over the next two games as US defeated Dublin Jerome and Toledo St. John’s.

PREVIOUS WINNERS – Josh Weiner, Walsh Jesuit (Week of Nov. 22); Mark Berglund, University School (Nov. 29); Shane Helman, Padua Franciscan (Dec. 6); Tyler Lencewicz, Shaker Heights (Dec. 13); Geoffrey Lapsevich (Dec. 20); Noah Colasanti, Walsh Jesuit (Dec. 27); Matt Bauman, Gilmour Academy (Jan. 3)

GREAT LAKES HOCKEY LEAGUE - TEAM NOTES

GILMOUR ACADEMY LANCERS (14-8-3, 3-1-1)

Gilmour’s three victories at the Father Styles Showcase at Brooklyn Rec Center included a pair of wins over teams ranked in the Top 10 in Ohio. As a result, the Lancers moved up to #5 in the state rankings. They have won six of their last seven games and will return to Brooklyn to face #1-ranked Saint Ignatius on Saturday in what will be a great test for Coach John Malloy’s squad. But first, they host Walsh for a league game Friday. A win can keep GA in at least a tie for second place in the league standings…Gilmour played Ignatius in their season opener on November 24, losing 3-2…Senior goaltender Ian Anderson drew the starting assignment in both games against out-of-state competition last weekend, stopping 53 of 55 shots against Buffalo St. Francis (NY) and St. Viator (IL).

HOLY NAME GREEN WAVE (2-15-0, 0-1-0 GLHL)

It’s nothing but league games the rest of the way for Holy Name. The Green Wave host Walsh Jesuit for an 8:30pm Saturday Night Special at Ries Rink and they play a makeup game against Padua Franciscan Sunday morning at Brooklyn. The Namers are looking for their first league win here in late January, but they have actually only played one league game so they have some points still on the table and games in hand as they look to work their way up the GLHL standings...Freshman Goalie Pete Rose started the Walsh game at the Jesuit Classic and made 36 saves. It gives him 199 saves in just five starts this season.

PADUA FRANCISCAN BRUINS (11-6-5, 3-2-0 GLHL)

Padua’s Sunday morning contest against Holy Name will be held at Brooklyn Rec Center but is a home game for the Bruins. Padua will be looking for two points to keep pace with Gilmour and stay on the heels of St. Edward…Junior forward Shane Helman became the second 20-goal scorer in the GLHL this season. He is up to 22 after notching two against Findlay and another vs. Bowling Green at the Jesuit Classic. He has lit the lamp in four of his last five games…Brock Bisler extended his points streak to seven games at the Jesuit Classic. He has collected eight points (5-3-8) in that span.

SHAKER HEIGHTS RED RAIDERS (10-10-4, 1-3-1 GLHL)

When Shaker Heights was shut out by St. Edward on January 12 it was just the second time this season that the GLHL’s only 30-goal scorer, Shaker’s Tyler Lencewicz, was held without a goal in back-to-back games. He was held off the board in three straight games – all Red Raider losses – at the Padua Tournament right before Christmas. Shaker is 1-6-0 when Lencewicz does not score a goal (he has three assists in the lone win)…The Raiders defeated #10 Bowling Green in the opening round of the Jesuit Classic but were tripped up by #11 Findlay in the semifinal. The third-place consolation game against Rocky River was snowed out…Cooper Mears stopped 20/21 shots in Shaker’s win over BG and sports a .958 save percentage (46/48) over his last three starts.

ST. EDWARD EAGLES (16-4-4, 5-0-0)

Riding a 10-game unbeaten streak (8-0-2) the St Edward Eagles look like they have a shot to ascend into the top spot – not only in the league – but in the state rankings by the end of the regular season. Hosting the state’s top-ranked team – bitter rival Saint Ignatius – on Friday provides a prime opportunity to make serious headway on the latter. St. Edward was #1 in both the Coaches Poll and the MyHockeyRankings last year…In his last six starts, senior goaltender Ethan Payne has posted three shutouts and allowed just six goals overall (5-0-1, 1.00, .963). Senior forward Jack Mansour has seven multiple-point efforts in his last 12 games, accumulating 18 points (9-9-18) in that span. Classmate Josh Szopo has points in nine of his last 10 games.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL PREPPERS (12-10-2, 2-2-0 GLHL)

The Preppers came within an overtime goal of winning the Mark Rasmus Invitational in Sylvania. Senior goalie Evan Crawford played all four games at the tournament, stopping 66 of 68 shots (.971) and posting a pair of shutouts…US takes on East Side rivals Shaker Heights and Gilmour Academy in league play this weekend…Senior defenseman Colin Counahan had seven points (4-3-7) in the four games in Sylvania, including a four-point effort (2-2-4) in the opening game against Northview but he – and the rest of the Preppers – were unable to get on the board when they came up against the Wildcats again in the championship game.

WALSH JESUIT WARRIORS (11-9-2, 0-3-0 GLHL)

Walsh Jesuit jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Bowling Green in the first period of their second game at the Jesuit Classic. The Bobcats chipped away and ended up tying the game with 1:42 left in regulation, but just :19 later Dominick Calleri scored his second goal of the game - and 12th of the season - to give the Warriors a 5-4 win…Noah Colasanti snapped a three-game pointless steak when he picked up a hat trick in the second period of Walsh’s 7-0 win over Holy Name in the opening game, then added a fourth goal late in the third period…Josh Weiner picked up four assists in that same game and leads the GLHL with 24 helpers on the season.