ICE HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Upsets Leave Private School Final Wide Open
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Thursday, February 21, 2008; Page E09
An unpredictable postseason has led to an unlikely matchup in the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League playoffs.
DeMatha, the seventh and final seed in the tournament, followed Tuesday's win over second-seeded Bullis with an 8-2 victory over sixth-seeded St. Stephen's/St. Agnes yesterday afternoon at Rockville Ice Arena.
The Stags will play in tomorrow's championship game against fourth-seeded Mount St. Joseph at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel at 7 p.m.
The Gaels knocked off top-seeded Gonzaga, 5-2, in Laurel yesterday.
"They threw everything they had at us," Eagles Coach Paul Tilch said. "Mount St. Joseph plays a much more physical style than us. We're more finesse. They knew to implement that game plan."
Gonzaga won the past three private school championships in the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League before 11 private schools formed the MAPHL this season. The Eagles, who defeated DeMatha in two meetings this season by a combined total of 18-2, would have been a heavy favorite had they made the final.
Instead, tomorrow's outcome is anyone's guess after the Stags and Gaels split their two regular season games this season.
"It's safe to say that the way things have been going during these playoffs, whatever you think might happen, you have to go with the opposite," DeMatha Coach Tony MacAulay said. "It's made for a great deal of parity."
Linganore's Different Look
A year after a heartbreaking, last-minute loss to South River in the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League public school championship game, Linganore is back in the MSHL's final four. The Lancers, who enter the rankings this week at No. 10, beat then-No. 7 Bethesda-Chevy Chase, 4-3, in a shootout Tuesday night in the West Region final.
Goalie Kelci Lanthier made 20 saves in regulation and overtime and didn't allow a goal in the shootout. Sean McHugh scored the clinching goal in the shootout.
"We're a very different team [from last season], but we're a balanced team," Linganore Coach Pete Grzybinski said.
The Lancers lost a 52-point scorer when Jason Klauka graduated, but they have surged to a 13-2 record with three strong lines and a fourth fighting for ice time.
