The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
One historic goal swings season for senior, US
University senior forward Henry Thomas hadn’t scored a goal all winter — until netting the game-winner in the Kent District final. Thomas describes his big moment as the frozen four beckons.
Henry Thomas celebrated the occasion as if he had done it dozens of times.
The University forward snapped a wrister 92 seconds into overtime for a 2-1 Kent District final victory over Gilmour. No bigger goal has been scored this winter for US — and much to the delight of the Preppers, it came from a senior who had no goals to his credit this season to that point. What a point that goal made.
After a few celebratory pictures on the ice at Kent State, Thomas fittingly was the last Prepper to get to the locker room. Given his first goal of 2018-19 was the most vital goal of US’ season to date, there was justification to take extra time to describe what it meant to Thomas and his team.
“To be honest, it’s been a little rough,” Thomas said of not scoring this season until the district final. “I scored a few last year, and I was really hoping to have
a good senior year. But it comes around, this beauty of a game-winner, and I’m just thankful for that.” He’s not the only one. “We are through the roof for him,” Preppers senior goaltender Critter Coughlin said. “We’ve been pushing him all year, telling him, ‘It’s going to come. It’s going to come. Keep working. Keep working.’
“And it just happened to come at the best moment possible. We are so proud
of him for that. Incredible work ethic.”
A year ago, Thomas scored three goals in 33 games as US went 24-8-3.
The senior nearly didn’t have to go the entire winter with a ‘0’ by his name in US’ goal column. A breakthrough almost came, ironic given what was to come, against Gilmour.
“It’s actually funny,” Preppers coach Andy Gerow said. “In the first game, we played Gilmour way back (Nov. 28) after a Thanksgiving tournament. He actually had a goal in the third period waved off, and it was kind of that monkey on his back throughout the season. Tonight, he stepped up and got that monkey off his back. It was a big goal, a senior stepping up in a key moment.
“He has had so many chances throughout the year. The coaches and I have joked around, we’re like, ‘Henry is going to score that big goal when it matters the most.’ All throughout, we see him in practice, and he has an unbelievable shot and just finds corners. And again, he got a moment in the slot, stepped up and made a play for this team to send them to Columbus. I am so happy for him and happy for this team.”
The team has a respected first forward line familiar to Ohio, an all-senior group with Jack Henry Muha at center and Henry Saada and Tyler Alt on the wings.
As that group leads the charge, the second- and third-line play has come along as well, with no better example of that than with the pivotal goal against the Lancers to send US back to state. Thomas, with John Pape and Andrew Rozenshtraukh, had logged some quality shifts, none more so than the one capped off by Thomas’ snappy wrister high.
“Our job is to work hard and find the back of the net sometimes and just let the first line take it to them,” Thomas said.
“Yeah, I’ve hit the post a few times this year. Pretty close. Obviously, this is the best time to do it.”
Coming into the Kent District final, Thomas had recorded eight assists on the year. US had 17 different goal scorers this winter before Thomas made himself the 18th. He did so with a strong performance before an electric crowd at Kent State.
“Basically, all the games we’ve played against Gilmour have been really close,” Thomas said. “I think they’re a fantastic team obviously. They played very well. Critter played very well and kept us in the game, and we were able to convert.
“I love playing in this atmosphere. I love seeing all of my guys up there cheering for us. It’s a great feeling.”
Especially when that great feeling was initiated by his timely goal. It was as if Thomas has done it dozens of times. But it was the first — and the one that counted the most, as a peaking squad returns to Columbus thanks to a senior who stood a good chance of not falling asleep easily March 1 after a moment to remember.
“We started a little bit rough, lost a few games there,” Thomas said. “And I think we just peaked at the right time.
“Geez, I’m not sure (if he’d sleep March 1). Probably just take it all in first. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”