Challenge Cup: Webster Resting For Showdown Against CBC

It remains to be seen how the lengthy layoffs will impact the semifinal Challenge Cup hockey showdown between CBC and Webster Groves.

CBC is in the middle of 12 days off while Webster will have nine days off before the squads meet in their quest for a championship. Game 1 between Webster and CBC is Thursday, Feb. 24 at Hardee’s IcePlex at 8:45 p.m. Game 2 is Saturday, Feb. 26^th at 6 p.m. at the same location.

The Webster Groves Skatesmen finished on top of the rally rollercoaster against the Oakville Tigers in Game 2 of their series last Tuesday night. Webster Groves rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period against Oakville to win, 5-4, and advance to the Challenge Cup semifinals for the first time since 2003.

“I’ve been telling our guys that we have as much talent or maybe more talent than the teams in the 1990s,” Webster coach Dave Garth said.

Oakville needed a win after losing Game 1 of the series 5-1. The Skatesmen went up 2-0 early after goals from Payne Alexander and Killian Ferrell.

However, the Tigers turned the momentum in their favor scoring four unanswered goals including a power play goal at the buzzer at the end of the second period to go up 4-2.

“I was really angry and let them have it in between periods,” Garth said. “All year long I’ve been talking about decision process and playing honest defense and I thought we kind of laid down defensively after we went up 2-0.”

“I think everybody realized what was on the line,” senior defenseman and captain Parker Stovall said. “We didn’t want to go into a mini-game situation and we realized that we didn’t want to lose this game in front of the home crowd.”

Garth’s words and Stovall’s leadership turned it all around for the Skatesmen in the third period. Clay Oliver scored early in the third period to bring Webster within goal of advancing to the semifinals. Breck Pepple then scored a crucial power play goal with 6:38 to go in the game to tie it up.

“Clay’s goal really energized the team and from there all we needed to do was score one goal and get the tie to advance,” leading scorer senior Michael Becker said. “We were patient and we knew the goals would come.”

Becker put the nail in the coffin with an empty net goal with a few seconds left to give Webster Groves the win. It was Becker’s fourth goal and ninth point of the Challenge Cup tournament.

Webster Groves went back to playing strong defense after tying the game not allowing a strong scoring chance during the last few minutes of the game even after Oakville pulled their goalie.

“We talked in the locker room after the second period about working as a team and playing their role working as hard as you can especially holding on the last couple minutes,” Stovall said.

Webster Groves continues their magical postseason run against top ranked CBC in the semifinals. The Skatesmen won their first round matchup against Fort Zumwalt West with a grueling Game 2 victory after losing Game 1. They went on to win the series in the 12^th round of shootouts to advance to the second round.

Webster Groves will face their toughest challenge yet against perennial powerhouse CBC. The Cadets defeated the Skatesmen 3-1 in a preseason tournament in their only meeting of this season.

“We can’t exchange scoring chances and we’re going to have to play three whole periods of good defense to have a chance against CBC,” Garth said.

“I think we’ve flown under the radar a little and at first some teams underestimate us a little bit,” Stovall said. “Those teams try to shut down our top players but we had a lot of key role players step up tonight.”

Oakville’s season ended in heartbreak after an impressive run of its own. The Tigers finished the regular season 8-1-1 to earn a 13^th seed in the Challenge Cup tournament. Oakville knocked off Marquette in the first round, a team that only lost two regular season games. The Tigers were one period away from advancing to the semifinals to take on CBC.

“I told each one of those guys not to hang their head and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Oakville first year coach Derek Stephens said. “The guys in the locker room, the coaching staff and family were probably the only ones that believed that we could go as far as we did in the Challenge Cup.

Oakville is building their program back up from their 2006 Challenge Cup Championship. The Tigers won the Wickenheiser Cup last year and only had a handful of seniors this year meaning the core of this team will be ready to battle and contend again next season.

“I told our young guys to remember this feeling,” Stephens said. “You got to learn from every loss and it’s all about how you respond.”