Gators JV Hockey Defeats Fenwick

The Crystal Lake South Gator junior varsity team fought back from a 4-goal deficit to win a thrilling 7-6 Metro Invitational Tournament game against Fenwick High School. 

The Gators fell behind early in the first period as Fenwick scored 4 early goals in the first period. Jimmy McSweeney scored on a feed from Max Rudolph to get South on the board with 5:43 remaining in the opening period. 

Less than two minutes later, Brennan Edwards took a pass from his younger brother Ryan and scored his first of four goals on the night to cut the lead in half at 4-2. 

Fenwick threatened to put the game away in the second period when they scored twice to go up 6-2, but that was the last goal that Gator net minder Danny McSweeney would allow for the evening and set the stage for a dramatic come-from-behind victory for South. 

Edwards notched his second of the game late in the second period to cut the Fenwick lead to 3 going into the final period.

Three minutes into the third period, McSweeney got his second goal of the night to cut the margin to 2; the goal was set up by a strong presence in front of the Fenwick net by wingers Dave Nicholas and Frank Buscemi. 

Edwards then netted his third on a power play to make the score 6-5.

Playing a man down, Trevor Price tied the score with 8:17 remaining, shorthanded after he stole the puck from a Fenwick defender and walked in alone. 

After both teams exchanged late power plays, South used their lone timeout of the game with 1:06 remaining. 

With the faceoff deep in the South end, Rudolph won the draw to Ryan Edwards, who sprung his older brother on a breakaway and the eventual game-winning goal. 

The Gators relied on strong defense from Connor Hudak, Johnny Mutchler, Jack Scott, Nolan Kremer, Caleb Bennett and Mitchell Newberry to allow the South offense to get on track. A strong back-checking effort was turned in by forwards Vince Petralia, Andrew Szocka and Tyler Mortensen to name a few. The goaltending tandem of McSweeney and Hayden Hooghkirk turned aside 30 Fenwick shots on the night.

Source: Crystal Lake South Hockey Club