Great Lakes Hockey League Weekly
Gilmour Academy Moves into First Place with OT win
With another weekend of holiday tournaments upon us, there was just one league game in the Great Lakes Hockey League this week, but it was a good one.
Landon O’Grady scored in overtime to complete a 4-3 comeback win for Gilmour Academy over Padua Franciscan on Wednesday, putting the Lancers atop the GLHL standings with 10 points.
Although GA is leading the way in the points race, University School – the only undefeated team left in league play at 4-0-0 – holds two games (and a possible four points) in hand, giving US a path to the league points title.
The regular season finale for both teams on February 4 is shaping up as a potential head-to-head battle for the league title (a tip of the cap to the schedule-maker).
Padua and Shaker Heights remain tied for third place with four points apiece. The Bruins picked up league wins over Walsh Jesuit and Holy Name last weekend to move themselves into the thick of the GLHL race.
Jostling for positioning will continue after the holiday weekend as teams determine seeding for the Cleveland Cup in the second week in February.
RECENT RESULTS
FRIDAY, JAN. 5
Padua Franciscan 2, Walsh Jesuit 0 *
University School 4, Toledo St. Francis 1
SATURDAY, JAN. 6
Padua Franciscan 5, Holy Name 0 *
Gilmour Academy 3, Shaker Heights 1 *
SUNDAY, JAN. 7
University School 8, Shaker Heights 2 *
Gilmour Academy 4, Walsh Jesuit 1 *
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10
Gilmour Academy 4, Padua Franciscan 3 (OT) *
THIS WEEK’S ACTION
FRIDAY, JAN. 12
Gilmour Academy @ St. Andrew’s College 11am
Gilmour Academy @ Kiski School (PA), 5:30pm
University School @ St. Charles, 6pm
Holy Name @ East River Ice Hawks
SATURDAY, JAN. 13
Gilmour Academy @ College Regina Assumpta, 2:30pm
St. Charles @ Walsh Jesuit, 2:40pm
Gilmour Academy @ Lower Canada College, 8:30pm
Holy Name @ Lexington Thoroughbreds
Holy Name @ SHAW Timberwolves
SUNDAY, JAN. 14
Gilmour Academy @ TBD
Gahanna Lincoln @ Walsh Jesuit, 1pm
MONDAY, JAN. 15
Upper Arlington @ Gilmour Academy, 3:45pm
* GLHL League Game
GLHL TEAM NOTES
GILMOUR ACADEMY – Four straight wins have Gilmour Academy in the mix for the GLHL points title while also pushing the Lancers up to #11 in the state according to MyHockeyRankings. All four wins have come against GLHL rivals: Walsh Jesuit (2x), Shaker Heights and Padua Franciscan…GA rallied from a 2-1 deficit after the first period in their 4-3 OT win over Padua on Wednesday. Four different players scored and Colton Fairchild and George Valenti each picked up a pair of assists. Brice Kitching made 27 saves in the game and turned aside 19/20 shots over the final two periods plus overtime.
HOLY NAME – Holy Name heads to Chicago for a tournament this weekend. The Green Wave has been getting solid goaltending of late from Emily Sefchik (see below) and hope that continues in the Windy City. Sefchik’s goalie coach, Anna Cvitkovich, also starred for the Namers. “Her consistency and reliability has helped our young team gain confidence in playing our tough schedule,” said Cvitkovich. “Padua's game was a result of her hard work and dedication to developing as a young goaltender.”
PADUA FRANCISCAN – First Period goals from Colin Matier and Max Mateiczik (on the power play) gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead over Gilmour Academy on Wednesday, but Padua needed another goal from Tegan Brown with 4:09 left to send the game to overtime where they eventually lost. Goaltender Josh Kustra only saw four shots in the opening period but faced 15 in the second period, turning aside 14. He finished the game with 26 saves. The Bruins are off until next weekend.
SHAKER HEIGHTS – The Shaker Heights Red Raiders maintain their #12 ranking in the OHSAA despite an 0-3-1 run as of late…Shaker returns to league play with a 3-in-3 weekend against all GLHL competition January 19-21. The Red Raiders will go up against Walsh, Holy Name and Padua in rapid succession with six points in the GLHL standings on the line. That weekend could go a long way to shaping the seeding for the Cleveland Cup...The Raiders head to Meadville, PA for an MLK Tournament this weekend.
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL – University School has upped their record to 21-2-0 on the season with an 11-game winning streak. The Preppers are still ranked #2 in the state. Had St. Edward held on to beat Saint Ignatius last Saturday it may have vaulted the Preppers into the top spot but the Wildcats scored twice late to tie, then win, the game…US visits #9 St. Charles in Columbus on Friday.
WALSH JESUIT – Walsh Jesuit hopes to snap a three-game losing streak when they host St. Charles on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors entertain a second Columbus-based team on Sunday when they face Gahanna-Lincoln…Walsh is 6-3-3 when it allows two goals or fewer and 5-1-0 when it scores three goals or more in a game.
GREAT LAKES HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Holy Name Goaltender Emily Sefchik
Emily Sefchik made 64 saves in Holy Name’s 5-0 loss to Padua Franciscan on January 6, earning her the nod as the Great Lakes Hockey League Player of the Week.
Sefchik turned aside 22/23 shots in the first period and finished just as strong (26/27) in the third.
“Emily’s calm and cool demeanor sets the tone for us on the ice. She never panics and never complains about the shots she’s facing on a nightly basis,” said Namers head coach Ian Skacan. “She’s a player of few words (very few actually giving her the nickname as our ‘Silent Assassin’) but when she talks the players in front of her listen.”
“Her play against Padua didn’t shock any of our coaches or players,” Skacan added. “We see her every day in practice trying to not allow us to score either. When she’s on her game, like she was on Saturday, it’s fun to watch her.”
Holy Name strength and conditioning coach Laura Honzu had this to say about Sefchik:
"Emily's focus, determination, & intensity makes her one of the hardest workers in the weight room. Her dedication to off ice training has definitely translated to her play on the ice.”
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Shane Triscari, Holy Name
Sam Wade, University School
Max Urban-Matejcik, Padua Franciscan
Luke Palmer, University School & Sammy Gerber, Shaker Heights
--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest
