The Christian Brothers Academy hockey team took care of LaSalle for the third time this season.
Brad Medici recorded a hat trick to lead the Brothers to a 4-2 victory over the Cadets in Friday’s Section II, Division I semifinal game at the Albany County Hockey Facility.
Medici said his first career three-goal game came at the right time.
`I can’t really explain the feeling. It was a team effort tonight, and I was just lucky to get the three goals, I wouldn’t have gotten them without my teammates. We were ready tonight, our coaches got us prepared and it was an all-around team effort,` Medici said.
The No. 1 line of Medici, Tristan Newkirk and Bryan Wilgocki accounted for three goals and three assists to help CBA advance to Wednesday’s championship game against defending champion Shenendehowa at Union College’s Achilles Rink.
`Those three have really shouldered the load all season long by getting key goals, and tonight it was Brad. He just stepped his game up offensively, and I’m excited for him as well as for the whole team,` said CBA coach Ron Kuhl.
CBA’s defense also stepped up, limiting LaSalle to 18 shots.
`I thought the kids came out tonight very focused, workmanlike, and they played great defensive hockey,` Kuhl said. `Anytime you give up under 20 shots on goal, you’re going to have a good chance to win ` especially with Andrew Blood in net. He was on his angles tonight, he was strong and he made some key saves early.`
CBA got on the board at 1:24 of the first period when Medici poked home a rebound off Newkirk’s shot. The Cadets responded 51 seconds later when Nick Phelps slid the puck between Blood’s pads, but the Brothers regained the lead at 14:21 of the first after freshman defensemen Andrew Loutitt carried the puck up ice untouched, beat two defenders and snapped a shot over LaSalle’s Brendan Wagner.
CBA notched two insurance goals in the second period. Medici intercepted a LaSalle clearing attempt and promptly deposited a shot behind Wagner from the low slot at 9:37 for a 3-1 edge. Medici then completed the hat trick at 12:32 of the second period by converting a pass from Newkirk and putting a shot behind a diving Wagner.
Phelps tipped in Mike Walsh’s shot from the right face-off circle with 51 seconds left in the second period, but that was as close as LaSalle got. Blood stopped everything he saw in the third period to finish with 16 saves and the win.
Next up for CBA is a Shen team coming off a semifinal scare against Guilderland Saturday, but the Brothers know the Plainsmen are capable of rebounding quickly. CBA tied Shen the first time the two teams met, but Shen responded with a 5-1 victory over the Brothers in their second head-to-head game.
`I reminded the kids in the locker room of last year when we beat LaSalle in this same situation and then came out in the finals and were flat against Shen. I told them to be excited, be proud of your effort tonight, but we still have work to do,` Kuhl said.“
