Three goals in a span of 1:15 midway through the third period sparked University School to a 5-0 win over Gilmour Academy in the 11th annual Cleveland Cup. With the win, the Preppers are back-to-back champions of the Great Lakes Hockey League.

Patrick Corcoran (his second of the game), Sam Wade and Gavin Jones scored in rapid succession to salt the game away for US and Cooper Pettipiece stopped all 19 shots he faced for the shutout.

University School defeated Gilmour, 2-1, in last year’s championship game.

With Gilmour on an early power play and the game still scoreless, Pettipiece and a US defenseman had some miscommunication behind the net and GA’s Blake Bassin almost had a tap-in into an empty net, but the Preppers recovered and cleared the puck out of harm’s way and killed off the power play.

University School went on their first power play about nine minutes into the game. There was then a confrontation to the left of Gilmour goaltender Colton Piercy (16 saves) that looked like it might result in a two-man advantage, but matching roughing penalties were called and the Prepper power play continued.

With about 3:00 to go University’s Mark Filippelli walked out of the left corner to the side of the net and tried to lift it under the bar on his backhand but Piercy stood his ground. It was not long after that, however, that the Preppers broke the ice.

Luke Palmer broke in alone and slid it between Piercy’s legs from in close with 1:07 to go. The assist went to Mitch Langal.

The first period was physical with some hard hits along the boards and a nice open-ice hit by Carson Barlow of US, standing up Gilmour’s Paul Dean just inside the US blue line. Defensemen Barlow and Ryder Beegun broke the puck out of the US end early and often with their skating.

The Preppers were not able to build on their lead at 9:33 of the second period when Corcoran scored is first of the game from Filippelli. About 30 seconds later GLHL Player of the Year Sam Wade sent Palmer in alone again but Piercy made a big save with his left pad to keep the score 2-0.

University School’s Ethan Roberts took an interference penalty with 1:03 to go in the second period and that was compounded by a Beegun cross-check just :32 later. Gilmour was unable to score before the end of the period, but started the third with almost a minute of five-on-three power play time with a clean sheet of ice.

Beegun started the game-clinching goal frenzy when he came steaming over the GA blue line and wired a wrister from between the circles. Piercy made a sharp glove save but could not trap the puck. Corcoran jumped on the rebound to make it 3-0 with 8:08 to go.

Wade made it 4-0 just :29 later and when Jones closed out the scoring with 6:53 to go the countdown was on for the Preppers.

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest