By Adam Conn The Columbus Dispatch <\/p>\n
How do you stop a train? <\/p>\n
It was a question coach that Jack Hoogeveen asked Saturday afternoon after Olentangy Liberty, which went into the third period trailing by a goal, got bulldozed by Toledo St. Francis for five goals in an 8-2 loss in a state tournament semifinal at Nationwide Arena. <\/p>\n
Hoogeveen was referring to Kevin Hack (three goals, three assists) and Warren Natyshak (two goals, one assist), who combined for 22 shots and logged a plus-13 rating. The Knights (26-6), who attempted 58 shots on goal, advance to the final for the second time in three seasons. <\/p>\n
We knew they had guys that can lug the puck and attack our (defense), Hoogeveen said. We knew their strength and we had trouble with it in the end. <\/p>\n
The Patriots (32-8), who were limited to 21 shots on goal, weathered 13 first-period shots before one got past goalie Logan Senhauser. The Patriots tied it with 49 seconds remaining when Kent Stadulis chipped a pass from center ice to James Bursinger, who broke free for a wrist shot past the glove of Jacob Coward. <\/p>\n
In the waning seconds of the first, however, Hack stole a clearing pass and snapped one over the glove of Senhauser to reclaim a 2-1 lead for the Knights. <\/p>\n
What gets us there is our gray-zone passes, where we're just dumping the puck when we're trying to get it out, said Senhauser, who made 50 saves. <\/p>\n
Liberty opened the second with a goal by Ron Ambrosia 38 seconds in. But once again, in the final minute, the Knights answered when Hack's backhander was stopped but settled neatly on Natyshak's stick for the winning goal. <\/p>\n
It's deflating, Bursinger said. Like we've got to go out there and start all over again. We were able to do it for a while, just couldn't do it enough. <\/p>\n
Natyshak scored his second goal 2:24 into the third, Ben Mitchell added a short-handed goal 5:44 in, and Gabe Barrow scored 90 seconds later. Hack then tallied an empty-netter two minutes later with Liberty on a 6-on-3 advantage, on a shot that sailed three-fourths the length of the ice. He earned the hat trick with three minutes remaining, also short-handed. <\/p>\n
We tried to pull the goalie (on a two-man advantage) and steal some 'mo,' but they got the empty-netter. Talk about deflation. Hoogeveen said. <\/p>\n
St. Francis outshot Liberty 21-9 in the second period, 22-7 in the third and won 39 of 62 face-offs. <\/p>\n
Cleveland St. Ignatius 4, Hunting Valley University School 3, 3OT: Brian Kurtz scored 11 seconds into the third overtime, and St. Ignatius (28-7-2) rallied to defeat University School (28-10-1) in a state semifinal. St. Ignatius scored twice in the third. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
aconn@dispatch.com<\/a> <\/p>\n @ajconn95 <\/p>\n <\/p>\n More:<\/p>\n High school boys hockey | Olentangy Liberty falls in state semifinal - The Columbus Dispatch<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Adam Conn The Columbus Dispatch How do you stop a train? It was a question coach that Jack Hoogeveen asked Saturday afternoon after Olentangy Liberty, which went into the third period trailing by a goal, got bulldozed by Toledo St. Francis for five goals in an 8-2 loss in a state tournament semifinal at Nationwide Arena. Continue reading