The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
GRITTY US BLANKS ARCHRIVAL GILMOUR
University and Gilmour are separated by about a five-minute drive on Route 91.
But Feb. 5 in the 28th edition of the Battle of SOM, two other time elements provided separation on this occasion: The 17 seconds between US’ quick-strike goals to grab momentum, and the 45 minutes of defensive-zone grit to see through a signature victory.
John Pape and Anthony Messina lit the lamp in the opening period, Jeffrey Fillion recorded a 30-save shutout and the Preppers took bragging rights back to Hunting Valley, 2-0.
“It was our first line going out and doing what they did,” US coach Andy Gerow said. “Pape had one early on a beautiful shot, and then a rebound goal to get us up two with Anthony Messina. And at times in the second period, it wasn’t pretty. But Jeff stepped up huge in net, and we kind of gutted that second period out.
“We just found a way to win, and this time of year, that’s what it’s about. Probably not how we drew it up, but we’ll take it.”
The Preppers (12-11-1) took control with a vital sequence in the opening period.
Pape displayed the total package that makes him one of Greater Cleveland’s top forwards to open the US account. Pape skated wide left into his zone and did well with speed and intent to turn the corner on the Lancers’ backcheck.
The senior captain snapped home a wrister shortside and top shelf at 6:29 for his 16th goal of the winter to open a 1-0 advantage.
Just 17 seconds later, Messina cleaned up a rebound in front of the crease for a 2-0 scoreline that stood for the duration.
“Shane (Cronin) made a beautiful pass right on my tape, and I saw their defenseman not moving too fast,” Pape said. “I just took it wide and then saw a nice little pocket in the corner and just let it loose.
“We came ready to play. We had a good practice. We were bending them in the practice. We were bringing them around and working hard. There’s not much to say. We really just took it to them.”
The Lancers (13-7-2) assuredly took it to their archrivals in the second and third in the offensive zone, though, recording 20 shots in those two periods.
But Fillion hung in admirably, including a nice oddman point-blank stop on Gilmour staple Kessel Richards at 7:56 of the second. In front of Fillion, the Preppers’ blue-line play was sturdy, led by senior Shane Cronin.
“I think that at the beginning of the year, it was something in question, and I thought they came through today — and more recently,” Pape said of US’ defensive-zone play. “We had a tough few losses earlier in the season, but we’ve kind of resolved that.”
Albeit in defeat, Lancers coach John Malloy left encouraged, especially given
the vast improvement from the last time the Battle of SOM was contested last month at Brooklyn, a 2-1 Preppers win filled with lament from a Gilmour perspective.
“A gritty effort on their part,” Malloy said. “And I was really pleased with the way our guys played. I don’t think we can play much harder than we played today.
So they worked hard. They got pucks to the net. They won battles. Sure, there were some opportunities we definitely left out there. But that’s going to happen in a game.”
Coming soon
For more from this game, check back in the coming days on News-Herald.com and in our print edition.