Story posted Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Metro West Late Goal Seals Win Vs. Northwest
By STEPHEN GORDON Correspondent
All-star games usually produce highlight-reel goals and goaltender saves that are worthy of lasting memories. Such was the case Sunday afternoon as the all-star teams from the Chicago Metropolitan High School Hockey League (CMHSHL) Northwest and West Division faced each other in Rolling Meadows.
Thanks to some key late saves, the West Division held off the Northwest Division 3-2 as Matt Kotsiopoulos (Neuqua Valley) scored with 1:55 left in regulation time.
"It's a lot of fun to coach in these games," Northwest Division head coach Gary Mitchell said. "You get the chance to coach the best kids in your division and while it can be a challenge to put lines together it's important for the seniors who play in a game like this because it puts a nice end to their high school careers."
Mitchell, who was assisted on the bench by Dave Morgan of Prospect/Rolling Meadows/Elk Grove/Palatine (PREP), said he felt the pace of the game was typical of a high school all-star game where play in the beginning was sloppy through the opening period but then got more cohesive as the second period turned into the third.
"We only had one practice as a team to get ready for this game," Mitchell said. "So I had an idea it would be like this. This was a tight game for us today. I think our best period was the third period where we had 16 shots on net. We just could not get that last goal to tie it up."
The Northwest Division took a 1-0 lead with 8:37 left in the first period when Vince Lullo (PREP/Elk Grove) took a centering pass from line mate Ryan Morgan (PREP) and beat West Division starting goalie Mike Czupryn (Hinsdale Central) from close in. The West Division tied the game at 1-1 with 4:34 left when Connor Hincks (Hinsdale Central) beat Fremd goalie Gavin Carlson with a wrist shot.
The Northwest Division took back the lead at 2-1 with 11:36 remaining in the middle period when Lullo scored again off a pass from Chris Brush (Buffalo Grove/Wheeling/Hersey) beating Sandburg goalie Andrew Poetzinger to his glove hand. However, the lead would only last just under two minutes as Matt Coulton (Hinsdale Central) tied the game at 2-2 with 9:24 left in the middle frame.
"It was a lot of fun out there today, especially playing with some of the other guys we normally face during the year," PREP forward Lullo said. "It's great to play with some of the best players in our league. To just go out there and mess around but also try to win at the same time."
For Fremd captain Eric Freeburg, the experience for him was one of trying to improve his game just that much more.
"I think we played great as a team today," Freeburg said. "That goalie from York (Jason Kuzara) just stood on his head the third period and we just could not get anything by him, even with a man-advantage."
Speak Out!
Comments are edited first by Journal staff before running in print and appearing online.