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newlenoxpatriot.com Sports
the New Lenox Patriot | March 15, 2018 | 47
fastbreak
Hockey
Celtics can’t overcome penalties in state quarterfinal
Photo courtesy of
University of Evansville
1st-and-3
Kicking off a career
1. Ian McGrath (above)
The University of
Evansville alum led
the Purple Aces in
goals his junior and
senior year, registering
23 goals in those
two seasons combined
to help earn
him a spot on a pro
team.
2. ESPN Top 10
McGrath garnered national
attention when
he was on Sportscenter’s
Top 10 Plays last
August for a goal he
scored from midfield.
The play was No. 8 on
the list.
3. Growing into form
McGrath grew a
foot from his freshman
year to his final
season at Lincoln-Way
West. The 6-foot-4
midfielder left his
mark on the program
as an All-State player
before joining the
Purple Aces as a
walk-on.
Chris Walker
Freelance Reporter
Penalties have plagued
Providence while Stevenson
has had the Celtics’ number
all season long.
Nothing really changed
during the March 7 quarterfinal
game between the
two teams in the Amateur
Hockey Association of Illinois
Red Varsity Division
state playoffs in Bensenville
as the Patriots advanced with
a 5-1 victory.
Providence, the state runner-up
the past two seasons,
saw its season come to an
end at 28-17-7.
“The penalties came up
and bit us again,” Celtics
coach Nick Iaciancio said.
“All year long, every time
we had any momentum, we
were called for something.
We had a power play and
took a penalty and come
playoff time you can’t overcome
those as often as we
had to.”
The Celtics, who had tied
Stevenson 3-3, and lost 3-1
and 6-2 previously, were
cited for nine infractions this
time.
“We were tight against
them and only had the one
game that got a little out of
hand,” Iaciancio said. “The
one we tied was in a tournament
when they scored on a
last minute faceoff play so
we’ve played them pretty
good.”
Stevenson (54-17-2) converted
its power play chance
at the 6:00 mark of the first
period when Adam Offenbach
slipped a pass to Trevor
Hilt who sent a shot out of
the reach of Providence
goalie Kameron Bustos.
The Celtics had chances
of their own to draw even,
but attempts by Dylan Gorski,
Cam Cutler, Colin Ries
and Jack McConnell were
offline, deflected or snatched
up by Stevenson goalie Elias
Sandholm, a transfer student
from Sweden, who saved
27-of-28 shot attempts.
Stevenson extended their
lead to 3-0 in the second
period on a transition goal
from its leading scorer, Jackson
Leptich, and then a bit
of a lucky goal from Seth
Cohen as the puck caromed
amongst a crowd of players
and slipped past Bustos.
“I told the guys in between
periods that we outplayed
them and out-chanced them
in the first two periods but
we weren’t getting bounces,”
Iaciancio said. “Sometimes
you have to make your
own luck and that’s what we
were hoping to come out
in the third period and try
to do. Other than giving up
the goals we gave up, I was
happy with how we played
in those first two periods.”
One thing the Celtics
weren’t blessed with this
season was a bunch of bigtime
scorers, although they
had a handful of talented
guys that were capable of
finding the net.
Gorski was the lone one
to find it for the Celtics as
New Lenox resident Ryan Kaup finished his final game with the hockey team with an
assist during the loss to Stevenson. He was named All-State as a defenseman. BURNS
PHOTOGRAPHY
he cut their deficit to 3-1 at
the 10:38 mark of the third
period. McConnell and Ryan
Kaup assisted on his effort.
Tom Davis and Shane
Horan had solid scoring
chances shortly thereafter to
attempt to draw the Celtics
to within a goal, but both had
their shots turned away from
Sandholm.
Offenbach gave the Patriots
additional breathing
room when he scored at the
5:43 mark of the third period
and Leptich sealed the game
when he delivered just 1:26
later.
“We obviously knew anything
could happen against
them so we tried to come
out at our best and I think
we did a pretty good job of
that,” Leptich said. “We just
tried to stick what we do best
against them, defense, floor
checking, blocking shots
and staying disciplined and
that seemed to work out well
for us.”
Despite falling short of
a third straight appearance
in the state title game at the
United Center, the Celtics
still finished with a strong
post-season run after losing
to Benet in the Kennedy
Cup.
“That was tough, but they
came back and have played
well the last few weeks,” Iaciancio
said. “If you go back
eight or nine years ago, this
would’ve been a great finish.
Expectations are a little
higher now, but I think we
realize we’re not going to
win every time, but getting
to the Elite Eight year after
year after year is a sign of a
successful program.”
LISTEN UP
“My family got to come to the game, and when I saw
them in the crowd, I got emotional. They’ve given me
such great support.”
Ian McGrath – Lincoln-Way West alum and now Nashville SC soccer
player, on playing his first exhibition game as a pro in front of his
family
Tune In
Softball
4:30 p.m. Monday, March 19
• Lincoln-Way West softball will open the season on the
road against Plainfield North.
Index
44 – This Week In
41 – Athlete of the Week
FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor James Sanchez,
james@newlenoxpatriot.com.