Game Recap

Blue Jackets Cup GCHSCHL Championship Tournament
Ice Prowlers home versus the Olentangy Braves
@ the Chiller North
Sunday, February 20th, 2005

Prowlers advance to Cup Finals

Less than 11 hours after losing 3-1 to the Westerville Warcats (#2, 18-3-2), the Prowlers were right back at it early Sunday morning, this time in the loser's bracket against previous opponent and last year's Cup runner up, the Olentangy Braves (#4, 10-3-1). The Prowlers had defeated the Braves 4-0 in their second round game (2/18/2005) and had swept the regular season series 4-games-to-none (4-2 Westerville on 11/07/2004, 4-3 Prowlers on 12/03/2004, 8-3 Westerville on 12/12/2004 and 5-2 Prowlers on 01/21/2005). A win against the Braves would put the Prowlers into the Cup Finals and give them a rematch with Westerville, but the Prowlers had to take care of business with Olentangy first.

The Prowlers got on the board first when sophomore Cody Berkebile scored on the power play (assisted by senior alternate captain Anthony Kantor and junior Taylor Walcutt) at 9:20 of the first period. They followed that up 19 seconds later when sophomore Max Mattsanoff scored (assisted by senior alternate captain Mike Miller and senior Matt Schuh) putting home a rebound to give his team a quick 2 goal lead.

Twenty-nine seconds into the second period, sophomore Nick Hess scored to give the Prowlers a commanding 3-0 lead (assisted by senior alternate captain Eric Weinhold and senior captain Eric Willard). Seconds later, junior Nick Miller put the puck in the net on a wrap around shot from behind the goal, but the goal was waved off and the Prowler lead remained at 3 goals. Just as it looked that the Braves had lost steam in this game having played late the night before, Craig Marklinge scored to spark his team and bring new life into the Braves with 9:11 remaining in the period and the score now 3-1.

Freshman Luke Wilkins got the lone Prowler goal in the third period to push the lead back to three goals with 9:34 remaining. Then, at 5:57, the Braves Patrick Kouskouris was credited with a goal after it appeared that freshman Miles McGrew made the save and defenseman Cody Berkebile swept the puck away before crossing the goal line. With the score now 4-2, the Prowlers kept up the attack and had a second wrap around goal disallowed at 5:05 which kept the Braves in the contest. Despite pulling their goalie for the final 1:43, Olentangy was unable to come back in this contest and the Prowlers hung on for the 4-2 victory.

No rest for the weary though as the Prowlers get a chance to defend their Blue Jackets Cup title in a rematch with the Westerville Warcats at 4:00 PM (Sunday 2/20) at the Chiller North. The two teams tied the season series at 2-2 (4-2 Westerville on 11/07/2004, 4-3 Prowlers on 12/03/2004, 8-3 Westerville on 12/12/2004 and 5-2 Prowlers on 01/21/2005) before the Warcats defeated the Prowlers 3-1 in their 3rd round tournament game (02/19/2005). A Prowler victory will force a final game Monday (2/21/2005) at 6:50 PM at the CoreComm Ice Haus, while a Westerville victory will give the Warcats their first Blue Jackets Cup GCHSCHL Championship.