MVP Grant Gorczyca of CBC and Brendan Sheehan (12) celebrate after the final buzzer. (Damon Bell photo)

Cadets preserve streak by defeating Oakville

It wasn't easy. It wasn't pretty. In the end, it was just the ending that the CBC Cadets expected.


With Grant Gorzyca scoring twice and goalie Cal Heeter refusing to buckle in a dicey second period, the Cadets fended off the Oakville Tigers 5-2 Monday night to win their third straight Blues Challenge Cup.

It was the fourth Mid-States Hockey Association title in five years for CBC, which ended the season at 37-0-2.

CBC has won seven Mid-States Hockey Association titles in 15 trips to the finals. The Cadets will take a 94-game unbeaten streak into next season.

"It's a lot of pressure, the streak, but you can't think about that," said Heeter, a gangly, 6-foot-1 sophomore. "If you lose, you lose. But there's no way we were going to lose this. No chance."

Gorczyca, a sophomore forward, was named the tourney's most valuable player. He got the tie-breaking, game-winning goal in the second period.

"We never really panicked," Gorzcyca said. "Everyone was positive. That's what this team is all about."

Oakville (21-3-4) had its own 19-game unbeaten streak broken by the loss. The Tigers almost extended it by another game - and stole a trophy - in their first appearance in the final.

"I've never been so proud," said Oakville goalie Luke Venker, a 6-6 senior who was victimized by some weird deflections. "It was a dream coming here. I felt confident we would pull it off, but they got a few lucky bounces. And that was it."

Oakville made a serious surge in the second period. The Tigers scored twice in the first half of that 15-minute frame, wiped out a 2-0 deficit and had the champs on the ropes.

"Scary, when we blew that 2-0 lead," said CBC coach John Jost. "But I knew it wasn't going to end up 2-0. They've got finishers."

Junior Kyle Gray got Oakville on the board at 52 seconds of the second. Sophomore Ryan Kretzer made it 2-2 a minute later on the power play.

Then Heeter plugged the net when CBC most needed a stopper.

He twice stymied Kretzer, his former CBC teammate who transferred after dressing for the Cadets in last year's title game.

"He's a good player," said Heeter, who made 20 saves to improve to 20-0-1. "That period was a little rough."

Rough? Oakville took charge for most of the second period before Gorczyca scored CBC's third power-play goal in three tries to regain control.

CBC also got goals from seniors Tim Jost and Corey Spradling and junior Kyle Okane, who opened the scoring.

The Cadets were deadly on the power play, scoring their first three goals with the man advantage.

CBC had a 6-2 lead in shots and a big edge in momentum when junior forward Kent Kirby took minor penalties less than three minutes apart in the first period. While Oakville didn't score on those power plays, the Tigers entered the second period with some bounce.

With 2:10 left in the period, the score tied and CBC reeling, Gorczycka teed up a shot inside the left circle and drove it over Venker's glove.

Then came a tactical standoff in the third period until CBC got a championship break.

Spradling, the Mid-States Hockey scoring leader, broke down the right side on a 1-on-2. As he was cut off at the bottom of the circle, he flipped a backhand pass toward the slot.

The puck hit the skate of a sliding defender and banked between the pads of Venker, who was moving to cover the middle.

Barely 90 seconds later, Gorzcyca came behind the net and slipped the puck off Venker's leg and into the net for the clincher.

And the streaks go on.

Burroughs wins

In the Wickenheiser Cup final, John Burroughs beat St. Charles West 4-1 Monday night at Savvis Center.

Brian Bowers of Burroughs was named most valuable player in the tourney, which features teams that did not qualify for the Challenge Cup's field of 24.

Burroughs (15-8-5) mustered only 16 shots to 18 for St. Charles West (14-13-2).