Eastview Boys Hockey Wins Playoff Opener

It wasn't pretty, but it was a win for the Eastview boys hockey team Tuesday as the Lightning overcame an early deficit to defeat visiting Henry Sibley 6-3 in the opening round of the Section 3AA boys hockey playoffs.

"I'm glad it's over," Eastview head coach Drey Bradley said. "There's a lot of inexperienced guys on this team and you could tell early. We really chopped up the ice."

The Lightning, seeded seventh in the section, found themselves down early after allowing the 10th-seeded Warriors a 1-0 lead 30 seconds into the game.

"That was a little disappointing, giving them a wide-open freebie like that," Bradley said. "However, I'd rather give up a goal like that early rather than late in the period—there was still plenty of hockey to play after that eye-opener."

Eastview made much of the remaining 50 minutes and 30 seconds of play, taking the lead for good with five unanswered goals from the closing moments of the first period through the opening of the third frame.

Max Smith drew the Lightning even with just less than three minutes until the first intermission before fellow defenseman Alex Stevenson provided Eastview a 2-1 edge at 2:18 of the second period.

Two goals by Eastview forward Ryan McNamara sandwiched a tally from defenseman Eric McCarthy to give the Lightning a 5-1 lead with just more than 10 minutes remaining in the contest, as Eastview fans began to make their plans for the second round and a match-up against cross-town rival Apple Valley.

After a pair of late goals from Henry Sibley on goaltender Alex Wohl, who made 19 saves, Eastview forward Scott Nelson scored with 70 seconds left, putting the finishing touches on the three-goal Lightning victory.

"We won and now we get to try again," Bradley said. "We get another chance to get better."

It is an opportunity to improve against a familiar as Eastview, now 8-16-2, will face the second-seeded Eagles in the section quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Thursday.

"It's a big rivalry and it's fun," Bradley said. "The guys like to play Apple Valley; they're a good team."

The Lightning are 0-2 against their neighbors, having lost 3-0 to the Eagles in December and dropping their Jan. 22 game 12-3.

"They thumped us last time; we had some guys injured," Bradley said. "Our guys are in amongst the big trees. We are a bit vertically challenged. They have some monsters."

While a victory would be the ultimate goal, Bradley said that he would like to see his team "battle" and have a chance to win in the third period.

"I just want our guys to make it a good game and put forth a solid team effort," he said. "It's the playoffs, so why not bring it?"