After a successful season where the varsity ice hockey team went 9-4, the playoffs are looking promising.
On Jan. 24 the Patriots played their last regular season game against the Blazers of Montgomery Blair. With goals from top scorers, sophomore Michael Kilmantov and senior Nathan Tai, the team pulled out a 8-4 win ending the season on a high. “We started off really strong in the beginning of the game, our energy and chemistry was up allowing us to take the lead, however, Blair started to make a big comeback. Once the first period was over we discussed what worked well in the beginning and were able to use that feedback to regain our momentum and keep it up during the second and third period,” Tai said.
With success from the season, the Patriots had hopes of doing well in the playoffs and the first two games did not disappoint. Round one of the playoffs took place on Jan. 31 against Northwest/Quince Orchard. After beating Northwest/Quince Orchard in the regular season, the boys were more than prepared to do it again. An incredible game was played where senior Sam Hosier scored four goals, followed by juniors Owen Goozh and Justin Heller with two. The Patriots were shooting left and right, leading them to an easy 16-2 win.
Now advancing to the second round of playoffs, the Patriots were scheduled to play rival Churchill. After previously losing to the Bulldogs on Jan. 2, the Patriots were skeptical about how the game would go, however, the team prepared and showed up for themselves, allowing them to beat Churchill for the first time in five years and knock them out of the playoffs.
The rivalry game between the Patriots and the Bulldogs was played on Feb. 7. Both schools were eager for the win and the arena was packed with energy and spirit. “Considering it was one of my last rivalry games as a senior, it was great to be in a crowd full of intense and exciting energy. Everyone was up and cheering for their schools, making the game all more memorable. It was also great to see a win against Churchill,” senior Izzy Leibowitz said.
The game began with high intensity and an even match. Both teams played decently throughout the first period with strong passing and defense. Then, as the second period began, the Patriots scored three goals in a row, putting them in the lead. Going into the third period, the Patriots knew that they had to keep up their momentum if they wanted to win, and they were able to do just that, ending the game with a 5-2 win. “Beating Churchill was really exciting as none of the players on the team have done so in their high school years. It was a great feeling to be a part of the team that was able to break a five-year winning streak,” junior Justin Heller said.
The Patriots will play their third round of playoffs on Feb. 20, against Glenelg. The game will begin at 4:30 p.m. at The Gardens Ice House.
