In contrast to the combined regional (33) and state (18) titles accrued by the two teams meeting in the Brooklyn Regional Final between Saint Ignatius and St. Edward, there are just three and zero, respectively belonging to Kent Regional finalists Gilmour Academy and Mentor.

Despite a five-year run that includes four appearances in the Great Lakes Hockey League’s Cleveland Cup Final, Gilmour Academy has just one regional title in that span (2020, which saw the state tournament cancelled) and three overall in school history. The Lancers have never won the state title.

Mentor, despite a rich history of its own that includes winning three of the last four Baron Cup and advancing to the Regional Final for the third straight year, has never won a regional championship or gone to the state (Final Four) tournament. The Cardinals, the #6 seed in the regional bracket, are the lowest-seeded team to advance this far in the post-season.

So, while the banners may not take up as much space at Gilmour Ice Arena and Mentor Civic Arena, one of these two programs will earn another this year. Both are not only capable of going to Columbus, but winning two more games, and coming back with the big prize for the first time.

Both teams won in overtime last Saturday to get here. They met in last year’s regional semifinal with Mentor winning, 2-1 in overtime. The Cardinals then lost to Walsh Jesuit in the title game.

Gilmour is 14-2-0 since January 15 with both losses coming to St. Edward – the most recent in overtime of the Cleveland Cup championship game.

Mentor has won nine games in a row, is unbeaten in its last 11 (10-0-1), and is on a 15-1-1 that dates back to January 7.

The puck will drop at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Kent State Ice Arena.