Chagrin dismantles Nordonia

If Chagrin Falls required an old-fashioned alarmclock bell wakeup Feb. 8, Nordonia did provide that.

In a Baron Cup III quarterfinal, the Tigers logged a nightmare of an opening shift and found themselves down 18 seconds in.

It merely made Chagrin feisty.

Garrin Bunker scored six goals, including a natural hat trick in the second period and a tally to end the afternoon 100 seconds early for an 11-1 mercy-rule victory.

The Tigers (9-1-1) shook

off that aforementioned odd start to dismantle the Knights from there, enjoying a 41-14 shots advantage.

“That first shift, we had two turnovers, and I think one of them, we shot on our own goalie,” Chagrin coach Jim Revak said. “And then we passed it right in front of the net. But after that, I think they woke up.

“But we haven’t been on the ice for, what, two, two and a half weeks. So it’s nice to get them back out there to see if they can still play.

They did a nice job moving the puck. We really moved the puck well today.”

After falling behind, 1-0, in that opening minute, Bunker struck twice in a 2:31 span to give the Tigers the lead for good. The first came five-hole at 4:03, then a snapper between the circles off a Matisse Despres feed at 6:34.

Henry Westendorf, Elliot Despres and Tommy Conway lit the lamp later in the period to make it a 5-1 game after one.

Bunker logged a natural hat trick over a 4:03 stretch in the second.

The senior forward finished the regular season as The News-Herald coverage area leader in goals, assists and points and now has 27 goals on the winter after a potent performance.

“I mean, it was awesome,” Bunker said. “We were passing the puck and moving well together. Those first 30 seconds were a little rough, and then we took a turn for the better. We put one in, and the tide just started turning.”

Coming soon

For more from this game, as Revak and Bunker discuss the Tigers’ return to the ice following a quarantine, check back in the coming days on News-Herald. com and in our print edition.