Saints Down Cougars in OT in WHAC Quarterfinals

(Fort Wayne, IN)-- The Cleary Cougars hockey team played one of their best games all season, but penalties and power plays would be too much to overcome, as the #17 ranked, and #3 seeded, Aquinas College Saints defeated the Cougars in the first round of the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference Quarterfinals, hosted by Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne on Friday.

Cleary would get on the scoreboard first, after Joe Heinzelman sprung Ben Gledhow free on a deep pass that left the Cougars' leading scorer one on one with the goalie.  Gledhow would put it home to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead just past the halfway point of the opening period.  A late first period power play would allow the Saints to equalize, and both teams went into the locker room tied 1-1 after 20 minutes.  Another power play for Aquinas in the second period would give the Saints a 2-1 lead, and that would be the only goal scored in the second forty minutes of play.  

Late in the game, and still trailing, Cleary would find a way to tie the game, when Jonny Gardiner went coast to coast, and with some nifty stickwork, shot it past the goalie to tie the game.  Neither team would score the final 3:50 of regulation, and sudden-death overtime was needed.  In overtime, another Cougar penalty would prove costly, as the Saints slotted one past goalie Tyler Krasofsky to take the lead and the game.

Aquinas was 3/6 on power plays, while Cleary went 0/4.  Tyler Krasofsky played outstanding in goal, making 43 saves on 46 shots faced.  Cleary has two more games on the schedule, when they take on the Toledo Rockets in a home and home series.  The Cougars will travel to Toledo on Thursday for 7:30 PM puck drop, and will honor the seniors on Friday, February 25 at 140 Ice Den with an 8:00 PM puck drop.