By Kyle Wannen
For DigitalSports.com
With just over five minutes remaining in Wednesday’s game against rival Gonzaga, DeMatha junior Casey Thrush found himself in a familiar situation thanks to a nifty pass from senior Shaun Gibbons.
After winning a draw, Gibbons flicked a high, arcing lob pass from his own blue line which dropped perfectly in front of the streaking Thrush, who corralled the puck, deked once to his backhand, and slid a sly shot underneath Eagles goalie Matt Tyler. It was the Stags’ first lead in the game as they came back to defeat Gonzaga 5-2 in the WCAC semifinal playoff game.
“Me and my buddy, Shaun, we set that play up a lot off the faceoff,” Thrush said. “He wins it and he’s pretty good at that little chip out. Normally it’s off the glass but I think he decided to put a little flair into it. So that was nice and laying it right in front of me and I just couldn’t thank him enough for that pass. It was great.”
Even though the Stags (21-15-2-2) outshot the Eagles 25-14 through two periods they still trailed by a goal, 2-1, heading into the second intermission and couldn’t seem to catch a break. Gonzaga took six different penalties in the second period but the Stags only converted on one power play when senior Mike Nowicki tapped in a pass from junior Mike Williams. What would have been Nowicki’s second goal of the period was waved off with just over a minute remaining because the goal was knocked loose before the puck went in.
DeMatha coach Tony MacAulay could only tell his team to keep up their efforts heading into the third period against the Eagles (11-6-2).
“We had to come back to some things we’ve been preaching all year,” MacAulay said. “That was just dedication to each other, staying with the system and above all, effort, and I think once we stayed to that course, that’s when we really found success. Success is measured when a team isn’t performing well or when the chips are down and we’re really happy with how our guys bounced back today.”
“I don’t think the bounces really went our way the first two periods and we just kept the same game plan and no one tried anything different and it eventually paid off for us,” Thrush said.
The Stag’s effort finally paid off halfway through the third period when Williams took a pass into the offensive zone and laced a wrist shot into the net for a short-handed goal which tied the game 2-2. After Thrush’s brilliant goal, he and Williams added empty net goals and goalie Drew Weigman finished with 19 saves to seal the victory.
“I wasn’t even supposed to go on the ice,” Williams said. “I jumped out there, it was a great pass from the [defense], right up the ice and I just knew I had to bury it. About five minutes left and it was just something I had to do.”
Gonzaga scored the lone goal within the first minute of the first period when junior Sam Gerdano tapped in a cross-ice pass from senior Warren Coady. Tyler made a number of brilliant saves to keep the Eagles leading and he finished with 31 saves. Senior Alex Bodenheimer also blasted a slap shot past Weigman with just under three minutes in the second period.
The win set up a championship match between DeMatha and Calvert Hall, who defeated the Stags 2-1 on December 3.
“Guys see the legacy before us,” MacAulay said. The guys that come before us, that’s what they did; filling roles and becoming leaders and young men. It’s a special feeling because they are becoming good hockey players. They are developing and it’s a pleasure to be around such a good group of guys.”
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