BISHOP RYAN​​ CELTICS

CELTICS COMPLETE IMPROBABLE COMEBACK IN OT

 

The Celtics hit the ice in the Semi-Finals against the St. Thomas More Knights on Wednesday afternoon. While the boys controlled most of the play throughout the first 2 periods, the Knights capitalized on numerous Celtic turnovers and mistakes and took a commanding 3-0 lead.

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Late in the second period while on the powerplay, Luca Alfieri finally found the back of the net to cut the Knights lead to 3-1 heading into the locker room for intermission.

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This is where Celtic Captain, Nathan Jones, took over.

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The Celtics quickly jumped out in the 3rd period on a goal by Ryan Wercholaz to cut the lead to 3-2. Then the Celtics found themselves on the powerplay once again with a chance to tie the game, however, shortly after, on another Celtic miscue, the Knights beat goaltender Alessio Veysey on a shorthanded breakaway to increase their lead to 4-2.

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From there on it was all Celtics as they scored 3 more unanswered goals to take a 5-4 lead with under 2 minutes to play. Once again, the Knights found themselves behind the Celtic defense and tied the game up at 5 and sent it to overtime.

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In the extra frame, the Knights got caught with 7 players on the ice sending the Celtics back on the powerplay. While shorthanded, the Knights managed yet again to get behind the Celtic defense on a breakaway but hit the post. Shortly after, Chris Lamont took the puck in the neutral zone and drove down the left wing firing a shot through the Knights goaltenders five hole and into the back of the net, sending the Celtic bench into a frenzy as the comeback was complete and the Celtics now head back to the Championship game for the 5th time in 6 years and look to defend their title.

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SCORING SUMMARY​

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Period 1

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STM (1-0): 0:47

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Period 2

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STM (2-0): 9:51 SH

 

STM (3-0): 2:56

 

BR (3-1): Luca Alfieri (5) 0:45 PP

Assisted by: Owen Hunks, Ben Fox

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Period 3

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BR (3-2): Ryan Wercholaz (2) 12:42

Assisted by: Carter MacQueen, Cameron Kingston

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STM (4-2): 10:44 SH

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BR (4-3): Cameron Kingston (5) 10:33 PP

Assisted by: Ryan Wercholaz, Nathan Jones

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BR (4-4): Cameron Kingston (6) 8:07

Assisted by: Ryan Wercholaz, James Monaghan

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BR (5-4): Luca Alfieri (6) 6:18

Assisted by: Nathan Jones, Gianluca Muraca

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STM (5-5): 3:34

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Overtime

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BR (6-5): Chris Lamont (5) 3:30

Assisted by: Cameron Kingston, Nathan Jones

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FINAL SCORE - OT

BISHOP RYAN 6

ST. Thomas More 5

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PLAYER OF THE GAME: Cameron Kingston, Ryan Wercholaz, Chris Lamont

CELTIC WARRIOR: Luca Alfieri

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CELTICS ADVANCE TO BOYS' HOCKEY LEAGUE FINAL

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By Larry Moko

It’s undoubtedly a big relief for the Bishop Ryan Celtics that they won’t be facing centre Joseph Sinclair any more this season.

In a Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic high school hockey semifinal Wednesday, speedy Sinclair scored four goals and was a constant threat. That wasn’t quite enough, however, because his St. Thomas More Knights fell 6-5 to Bishop Ryan in sudden-death overtime at Valley Park Arena.

The first-place Celtics fought back from a three-goal second-period deficit. And they capped the scoring on Chris Lamont’s power play game winner exactly half way through the scheduled five-minute OT session.

In the other semifinal, the St. Mary Crusaders blanked the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals, 4-0. So that means BR and St. Mary will meet for the fifth time in six years to decide the league champion. That contest is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Mountain Arena.

“We tried to contain (Sinclair) but we couldn’t,” Celtics coach Justin Cannon said. “He was a one-man show. Unreal.”

Sinclair scored a shorthanded goal and on numerous other occasions got behind the BR defence on breakaways to test netminder Alessio Veysey. Said Cannon: “He’s a super smart player. He knows where to go on the open ice.”

Bishop Ryan trailed 3-0 against the fourth-place Knights before a goal by Luca Alfieri with four minutes remaining in the second period narrowed the gap. Then, in the third, pressure by the Celtics paid off. They got goals by Ryan Wercholaz, Cameron Kingston (a pair) and a second by Alfieri.

A breakaway goal by Sinclair tied it at 5-5, however.

“We shouldn’t have given up that goal late in the second period,” More coach Gino Leone said. “I think that gave them life going into the third.

“You’ve got to hand it to BR. They were all over us in the third. They put a lot of pucks on our net.”

Sinclair’s linemate, Jack Ormond, had the other More goal (shorthanded).

Asked about the deciding goal by Lamont, Cannon said the winger crossed the blueline and took the opportunity to shoot.

“We said everything to the net,” the coach of the defending champion Celtics said. “When it hit the back of the net we erupted.”

During the regular schedule, BR lost only once in 10 starts outscoring the opposition 49-16.

“We had a really good feeling about our team all year,” Cannon said. “But we needed this one.”

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