Seconds after the game-winning, the Cadets celebrate. (Paul Kopsky photo)

Henry Elster and the DeSmet Spartans almost pulled off another Monday Night Miracle.

Four-time losers to CBC, outshot three to one, they took the unbeaten Cadets to overtime at Savvis Center.

Then came one fateful bounce and one quick shot by Kyle O'Kane, and all of the stardust disappeared 71 seconds into overtime as the Cadets pulled out a 2-1 victory.

In a rarity for a losing player, Elster was named the Most Valuable Player. And rightly so after stopping 43 of 45 shots.

He had no chance on either CBC goal, but the one he'll remember forever is O'Kane's dagger to the back of the net.

"It just happened so quick," said Elster, who had to ask for sure if O'Kane was the culprit. "They ran a pick off the faceoff. He got the puck and he caught me with my feet moving. I couldn't get down quick enough, and the puck went between my pad and my glove."

CBC coach John Jost, who won a Challenge Cup as a CBC player, called O'Kane "a big-game player."

The sophomore was fighting a big-time case of jitters.

"I was really nervous - before the game and before the overtime," O'Kane said. "I had butterflies everywhere."

They flew away with the game-winner.

"Tony Jost took the faceoff," he said, referring to the coach's nephew. "He was scrambling to keep his feet to get the puck. I saw a lane and the puck just came right to my stick. And I shot."

Until then the only scores had been powerplay goals late in the second period by junior Corey Spradling of CBC and sophomore Zach Schroeder of DeSmet.

The Cadets pounded out a 45-15 advantage in shots. Most of that bulge came in a 21-2 onslought in the third period, when Elster really won the MVP hardware.

"My team really did a great job of clearing it out in front," Elster said. "You really can't give them rebounds. They really swarm up on them."

The Cadets have won their last 55 games overall and their last 54 in Mid-States action.

"It doesn't mean a thing if we didn't get it done here tonight," said Jost, the CBC coach. "We couldn't say it before, but we can say it now. What a great year!"

DeSmet (33-8-4) was the last team to beat CBC on Dec. 29, 2002, in a Chicago tournament. The Spartans had been outscored 19-4 in their four earlier losses this season.

"I've very proud of them," said DeSmet coach Charley Miller. We would have liked a lot more shooting opportunities, but we were very happy going into the third period tied 1-1."

Jost, the CBC coach, said, "I didn't necessarily expect OT, but I knew it was going to be a close game."

The teams had met seven times before in the Challeenge Cup finals, with DeSmet holding a 5-2 edge.

CBC had the better of the play in the first 15-minute period with a 10-4 edge in shots.

But DeSmet had the best scoring chance in the early going, a short-handed breakway by senior Brad Wegman. CBC junior Casey Kohler, the league's top goalie in every category, stood his ice to make the save.

Priory (17-10) blew a 4-1 lead but rallied late in the third period for a 6-4 victory over Fox (9-17-4) in the finals of the Wickenheiser Cup. The tournament features teams that did not make the 24-team cut for the Challenge Cup.

Reporter Tom Wheatley
E-mail: twheatley@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-340-8108