by Warren Kozireski
Churchville-Chili’s boy’s hockey team advanced to the final for the second consecutive season in search of its first sectional championship, but fell to Webster-Thomas 1-0 in overtime.
The loss marked the second consecutive season the Saints have lost in the title contest. Thomas won a Sectional crown for the five of the past six losing last year to the Saints in overtime during the semi-finals.
The 19-3-1 Saints outshot the Titans 10-3 and dominated through much of the first period, but could not find the back of the net.
An even second period ended with the same scoreless tie.
In the third period the Titans had a three-on-one broken up 8:30 in and Saints goaltender Jon Brown made a side-to-side left leg pad save at 10:05 to keep the game scoreless.
With 2:30 remaining in regulation, C-C defenseman Mike Yehl had a key shot block while Thomas was on the power play before Justin Alves fed a cross to Andrew Ludwicki whose shot was stopped at the other end two minutes later.
With Thomas called for a penalty with :16 remaining in regulation and extending into overtime, the Saints had an attempt dribble just wide of the right post.
Thomas cleared the puck out of the zone and it hit a stick just inside the Saints blueline that slowed enough for Gabriel Kirsch to gather it up and take it to the net. The rebound was knocked in by Nick Epping for the championship winning goal 1:29 into the extra session.
“I’m very proud of the guys; Jon (Brown) played a phenomenal game and saved every puck that came at him and the rebound went in,” said Churchville-Chili head coach Brian Young.
“That’s (the stick) is what made the difference in the game; they got a lucky bounce off of that and in a game like that especially in an overtime, it is about lucky bounces and they were luckier than we were.
“Every year we get a little more experience going into the tournament and we’re working our way up there, but we start over again and bring in some younger guys that we can trust and buy in to what we’re trying to do.”
