The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Comets soar in first, capture SWC crown
Amherst scores five times in opening period on way to win over Avon Lake in tournament final
In approximately a 16-hour span, Amherst and Conor McGregor had something in common — and not just the green in their respective attire.
They both delivered a knockout punch in the first.
Whose punch packed more wallop is open for scrutiny, but the Comets’ swing was decisive to be sure.
Jacob Kramer lit the lamp four times, including a hat trick as part of a commanding five-goal opening period by Amherst as it rocked Avon Lake, 6-0, on Jan. 19 in the Southwestern Conference tournament final at North Olmsted.
The teams’ third meeting of the winter, after 2-1 and 4-0 games in White North play, didn’t mimic those prior encounters. The Comets (184), in capturing their third straight SWC crown and fifth since 2012, put on a masterclass in puck cycling evenstrength and on the power play and capitalized on special teams in the first period to turn this occasion into a runaway.
“We work at it,” Amherst coach Steve Morris said.
“I don’t know if it was that much different than what we’ve had. I think what we did is we finished. So the difference was, when you get a chance to finish and you do it, it makes a big difference. So it makes the cycling and all of that even better when you get that opportunity to make that happen.”
Opportunity abounded in the first.
Joey Kramer banged in a look at the 2-minute, 37-second mark of the opening period on the right side of the crease.
The Comets went on the man advantage courtesy of a hooking penalty, and Jacob Kramer did well to walk in a look from the left circle and slot a wrister at 7:06 for a 2-0 lead.
Amherst got some 5-on-3 time later in the period after a five-minute major for elbowing. Nick Ciura was turned away, but a long rebound was left for Avery Winkelman, who cashed in a wrister high at 11:15 to put the Comets up, 3-0.
Jacob Kramer, the 2019 Morning Journal hockey player of the year, struck on a snapper at 12:06 and put away a look at the right bar at 14:52 as Amherst took a 5-0 advantage to intermission.
“Immediately, we came out, and everything was working perfectly,” Jacob Kramer said. “We had them out of position, and yeah, that was probably one of the best times we were cycling, especially in a championship game.”
To its utmost credit after a nightmarish opening 15, the Shoremen (207-1) came out with energy in the second period and much of the third. But Comets goaltender Brady Grove had a steady sevensave second period to preserve the shutout, and Avon Lake had difficulty staying out of the box.
The Shoremen were called for eight penalties, including the aforementioned elbowing major and a 5-and-10 in the third for a check from behind.
Jacob Kramer, the prolific forward who should be in the running for AllOhio honors this winter, contributed his fourth goal of the day for the final margin at 11:37 of the third on another power play. He skated in from the corner and shelved a wrister from between the circles.
The Comets’ senior stalwart admitted he did not foresee this type of scoreline, as Amherst won its fifth straight in the series and is now 20-2 against the Shoremen since 2008.
“I would’ve been like, ‘You’re nuts. That’s not going to happen,’ “he said.
But with the fury similar to McGregor the night before, it did.
As the Comets fine-tune for Baron Cup II and the Brooklyn District next month, such an impressive performance has them feeling good about their overall body of work.
“Really good,” Jacob Kramer said. “This team is really young. We weren’t sure how they were going to respond this year. But everyone has been doing their part really well, and that’s what’s leading us to success.”