Dublin High School Hockey Association

Dublin Coffman vs St. Francis DeSales

The Rocks host the Stallions on Sunday evening at the Dublin Chiller with the visitors already assured of a spot in this year's Blue Jacket Cup. Dublin will grab the last spot out of their division with a victory this evening. DeSales is already in by virtue of them winning their division, on the way to compiling an impressive regular season record. The Stallions took Dublin Jerome to the wire on Friday and beat a Thomas Worthington team on Saturday that handed the Rocks a loss earlier this year. This is a vastly improved DeSales team from previous years.

First Period: Dublin controls the face off and Gunner Gruehl gets a shot off from the glove side circle at 14:36. It is gloved. The Stallions move up ice and put a shot on net from the blue line that Kyle Burich gloves. Jason Strine gets a chance from the side, but the harsh angle causes him to toss the puck into the side of the netting. Freshman forward Kyle Marcinick puts a sharp hit on a Stallion at 11:10 to knock the puck off his stick and keep it in the offensive zone for the Rocks. Dublin takes a penalty at 9:31 as Michael Myers is called for slashing. Kyle Burich makes back to back saves and then dives to cover up the puck on the third attempt. Dublin has been an offensive force on the penalty kill all year and appears ready to add to their totals as Kevin Putnam goes in uncontested and drills the glove side post with a wrist shot. Caleb Powell pounds a pony at 6:55 on the boards. Tyler McClary carries the puck up ice for DeSales and goes all the way behind the Rock net at the other end. He comes out far enough to attempt a shot and the ensuing rebound is hammered in by his linemate to move the Stallions in front by one at 4:36. DeSales celebrates by taking a penalty at 4:15. It takes all of five seconds for the Rocks to answer as Putnam shoots from the bleacher side of the net, Eric Gute has taken up residence in the space one inch outside the crease and he screens goalkeeper and defenders from seeing or reaching the rebound. Gunner Gruehl calmly tosses it in to even up this game. We move towards the end of the period and Kevin Putnam is once again working the puck down low. He throws the wrist shot on net and beats the goalie five hole, but the puck catches just enough pad that the direction is altered from the back of the net to sliding just wide of the outside post. Play ends with a one to one score and the Stallions holding a slight shot margin of 14-13.

Second Period: Gunner Gruehl turns a Stallion into a gelding at 14:36 with a huge hit in open ice. DeSales races up ice with the puck and appears to be throwing one deep into the zone to play dump and chase. The forward barely crosses the blue line and takes a hard slap shot towards the Rock end boards. The puck is actually on net and winds up catching the far post and going in. Not sure if Kyle even saw this one judging from the reaction. The visitors are back in front by one at 10:15. It took the Rocks twenty six seconds to answer the first goal and they respond to the second in forty six seconds as Mark Heneman puts one on net and Chris DiBiase follows, picks up the rebound and pots the second goal from the low slot. Great effort on the whole line to bring the Rocks right back into this contest. Senior defender Michael Bennett is getting back in stride rapidly after missing the majority of the season with a tender knee. He catches a Stallion skater just inside the blue line as he turns to head up ice and blows him back about five feet with a huge hit. There is a face off in the Stallion defensive zone at 5:31and Kevin Putnam takes center position, pushes the puck behind the opposing center and picks it up just about even with the side of the goal. He takes one stride towards the mouth of the goal and the goalie slides hard to protect that inside position. Putnam immediately tosses the puck behind the net and races after it to pick it up and attempt the wraparound shot on the other side of the net. The goalie sees what is happening and pushes off to slide over to the other side. The two arrive at the same time and somehow the puck glances off a skate and winds up nestled against the pipes in back. Dublin has their first lead of the contest. Michael Bennett shows his offensive chops with a nice carry deep into the Stallion zone and a shot on net. The Rocks start to unravel at 4:24 left in the second. They are whistled for a 2:00/10:00 penalty for a hit from behind. The entire team contributes to a solid penalty kill and Chris DiBiase shows some true grit to battle and keep a puck at the Stallion end of the ice and draw a tripping penalty. We are back to full strength and on a power play when zebras side with their cousins, the ponies, to fill the penalty box with Dublin players. There is another 2:00/10:00 penalty on a hit from behind and then a second 2:00/10:00 penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct when a Rock player questioned the reproductive system make up of the player that drew the first penalty. DeSales will have 52 seconds of four on three advantage and then just over a minute of five on three advantage. The Rocks collapse into a tight formation around the goal and keep DeSales off the board for the balance of the period. Time expires with Dublin in front 3-2, but trailing in the period shot parade by a 15-10 margin.

Third Period: The Rocks finish off the penalty kill and the Stallions have to be upset that they could not draw even with the multiple man advantage. DeSales is called for interference at 11:42. Kevin Putnam works the puck off the bleacher side wall and skates hard right into the crease. Skater, defender and goalie all come together and Putnam flies through the crease and lands hard on the ice. The puck has been kicked aside and Putnam skates off gingerly, feeling the effects of an imperfect landing. Michael Bennett gets off two more shots around the 9:00 mark. Stallion penalty at 8:52 and again at 5:22. The DeSales coaches have to be frustrated as they attempt to make a comeback and are forced to play penalty kill instead. The small break that they are looking for comes at 2:10 when a puck sent to the blue line is mishandled and a streaking Stallion player gathers it up and races up ice to challenge Burich at the far end. A fine offensive play as the skater fought off a Rock defender and still managed to stuff the puck through for game tying goal. One player from each team are taken off the ice at 1:27 and the period ends with not further action. We are tied at three at the end of regulation. DeSales turned up the shot count and tallied 18 versus 10 for the Rocks.

Overtime: The clock registers 8:00 for the overtime period. The Rocks bring the puck into the Stallion zone and Kyle Marcinick carries it behind the net and looks for his line mates that are trying to position themselves in front of the net. The Stallion defenders do some heavy lifting to push Putnam and Gruehl out of position from in front of the crease. Marcinick ends up coming our from behind the net with the puck still in tow and he swings towards the center of the blocker side circle. The defender on that side is still pushing a Rock forward away from the crease and Kyle finds himself with an open lane to the net. He fires a wrist shot on the ice that finds its way into the back of the net and the Rocks have prevailed on the first shot of the overtime period.

Game Summary: This was another terrific high school hockey game and DeSales proved that they are a team to be reckoned with for the balance of the Blue Jacket and district tournaments. A big night of saves for Kyle Burich with 43 of them. Probably the biggest goal of his young career for the other Kyle to put the game away. This victory will make the Rocks the #4 seed in the Blue Jacket tournament and they will open against a senior laden squad from Upper Arlington on February 9^th at the Ice Works in Worthington. A great team effort this evening and it wraps up with miles of smiles from Kyles. 

Dublin Coffman vs Cincinnati Moeller

Both teams travel to Oxford, Ohio to play a pivotal game in the Capital Hockey Conference on Sunday afternoon. The winner of today's contest will have the inside track on a spot in the Blue Jacket Cup and the loser will be forced to win out to stay in the running. These two teams met very early in the season and the Crusaders were playing without two of their top players at the time. The Rocks pulled out a close decision in that game.

First Period: Moeller opens the game with a hit to the head and the Rocks will be on the power play 25 seconds into the contest. No blood in this attempt and the Rocks get a second chance on another Crusader penalty at 11:42 on a slash. Kevin Putnam skates behind the net and feeds Kyle Marcinick on the door step. A nice stop by the Cincinnati goalie. Caleb Powell fires up a slap shot at 10:17 that is gloved. The power play expires and Kyle Burich stands to grab a shot from the blocker side circle. He follows one minute later with a nice leg pad save on a shot from the blue line. The Rocks are called for a roughage penalty at 7:49. A second penalty at 6:34 will really test their fiber. Moeller takes advantage of the miscues and tallies one on a shot from the top of the blocker side circle that never leaves the ice and finds its way inside the far post. They have the one goal lead and still have over one minute of power play to operate with. The Rocks kill the power play off and some very strange line change antics have everyone staring at the Rock bench as players are coming and going and then jumping back over the rail to the bench. While no one is paying attention, Kevin Putnam steals a puck from the Crusader defender and walks in unimpeded to the goalie. He jams a backhand shot through the five hole and we are all tied up at one at 4:14. Burich follows up with a quick flash of the leg pads to save one at 3:02. Moeller takes another penalty at 1:41 and freshman blue liner Thomas Tate nearly nets one on a laser from the blue line that hits a post. Play expires with the score tied at one. The Rocks hold a slight shot advantage of 12-10 in the period.

Second Period: A few seconds of power play left for the Rocks. They are unable to do anything as a very wet ice cut has left the surface better suited to fishing than hockey. The sticking puck causes a Rock defender to have to trip a player to prevent a breakaway after an attempted pass moves about six inches instead of six feet as it was intended to do. Dublin appears to be ready to kill off the penalty when they are whistled for a second tripping infraction. They manage to kill off the 5 on 3 and then make Moeller pay with some solid short handed work. Kevin Putnam plays smart defense and skates up ice with the puck and linemate Kyle Marcinick in tow. Putnam takes the shot and Marcinick puts the rebound in to give the Rocks a 2-1 lead at 12:01. Dublin has scored a lot of short handed goals this year, but this one may be one of the biggest in a game of serious importance. Kyle Burich makes a huge save at 11:16 when a Rock defender trips on some rosary beads and leaves the Crusader player one on one with Burich. Kyle stops the shot and the Rocks head up ice with Putnam trying to get the puck to a wide open Gunner Gruehl for a breakaway attempt. No dice this time. Putnam makes a trip through the crease at 8:07 and comes out with the goalie stick. The Rocks toss one in, but are unable to sneak it past the stickless Crusader. Eric Gute and J.T. Latsahw have a two on one odd man rush and the shot is kicked aside by the goalie. The Rocks are called for another trip at 7:04. Cincinnati literally throws everything they have at the net and there is a huge pile up of players in front of Mr. Burich at 5:59. Returning defender Michael Bennett puts one on net from the blue line that is tipped down to the ice by Kevin Putnam. The Crusader goalie makes the quick adjustment from waist high shot to on ice shot for the save. J.T. Latshaw continues his offensive moves with a shot at 3:10. It is football season and the Rocks try their version of the touchdown Mary pass when a defender tosses one from the rear boards high into the air and over everyone's heads. Putnam obviously called the play in the huddle and he had started full tilt up ice when the D gathered up the puck. He picks the bounding puck up center ice and goes in one on one with the goalie. He tosses a hard fore hand shot five hole that is tipped away; a heads up save by the Moeller keeper. The Crusaders continue to take penalties at a rapid clip and add to their totals at :40 with a trip of their own. No action to end the period and the Rocks hold the slim 2-1 lead and the shot count is even at 11 for each squad.

Third Period: You can tell that this game has a little more meaning than the normal one as emotions are starting to run high on the ice and in the stands. There have already been ten penalties in this game as we begin the third. The Rocks once again have some power play time left at the onset of the period. Once agin, the Crusaders play tough defense and keep it close. They have a 3 on 1 odd man rush at 11:41 that is calmly gloved by Burich. Moeller immediately follows that disappointment with a tripping penalty. These officials must have just watched a training clip on tripping as that is far and away their favorite call of the day. Dublin starts the power play and decides to play fair and make it four on four as they take an interference call of their own at 10:22. Kevin Putnam and Chris DiBiase have a two on one opportunity and Putnam slides the pass over to Chris in the low slot. He is working on his back hand and is unable to get enough on the shot to convert. Putnam and Marcinick play pattycake with the puck at 7:27 and the ensuing shot is gloved. The game really turns on a mishandled puck by a Moeller defender in their zone at 3:54. The clearing pass is totally topped and sits on the ice in the open. Mark Heneman alertly skates in and gathers the puck up and without hesitation puts a shot into the top glove side of the net. The Rocks are up 3-1 and this one appears to be heading Dublin's way. Moeller is now having to take some chances to create offense and they pay the price as Kevin Putnam heads up ice on a breakaway. He puts the goalie down with some stickhandling and takes what appears to be a slam dunk shot off the forehand from about one foot. The puck appears to hit the back post or middle post and jumps back in front of the crease. Putnam celebrates and the two slow skating officials finally make it to that end of the ice and signal no goal. There is the usual moaning, gnashing of teeth, etc. but the end result is no goal and the teams gather for a face off in the Crusader zone. The still frosted Putnam enters the circle to take the face off for Dublin. The Moeller Captain proceeds to tell the official that he should not be allowed to take the face off since he is wearing jewelry. The official proceeds to instruct Putnam to skate to the bench, remove the studs and himself and come back later. The Crusaders manage to win the ensuing face off and carry the puck right up the ice where one of their forwards unleashes a nasty wrist shot that catches the top glove side corner of the net. We now have a one goal game with 2:51 remaining. Just as it appears the Moeller will make this another nail biter, they are whistled for a trip behind the Rock's net. Dublin trots out the power play unit, sans the Silpada, and they take exactly one minute to score as Putnam skates it into the Crusader zone and uncorks one from the cop of the blocker side circle that surprises the goalie and sails through the five hole. The Rocks move back on top by two goals and close out the important victory. Moeller held a shot advantage of 14-11 in the last period.

Game Summary: The main sheet of ice at this facility is called Goggin Arena. The practice sheet that hosted this game will probably be called Floggin Arena after this one. The two teams combined for fifteen penalties in this one. I don't pretend to know the Ohio High School hockey ruling for jewelry, but the USA Hockey rules clearly state that jewelry is permitted if taped down or completely covered by equipment. Unless you had ears like a Bassett Hound you would seem to be okay. Regardless, the ploy was effective for disrupting a shift for the Rocks, but in the end it was pretty obvious that Moeller concentrated on the wrong studs in this one. With this win the Rocks appear to be in control of their own destiny if they can win out. Dublin returns to their home ice for the final two regular season games next weekend.