CJ Jung (11), Paul Puglisi (5) and Ryan Kretzer (9) mob goalie Corey Rickermann following the Oakville victory. (Paul Kopsky/STLtoday Prep Sports)

Do you believe in omens?

Yesssss!

The Oakville Tigers, faced with CBC's daunting 132-game unbeaten streak, scored on their first shift Wednesday night at Savvis Center.

They rode that confident wave to 3-2 victory over the Cadets and their first Mid-States Hockey Challenge Cup championship.

The Tigers used stellar goaltending and a big game from their big line for the first win over CBC since DeSmet did the trick in December 2002.

Oakville also avenged last year's 5-2 loss to the Cadets in the finals.

"It's unbelievable," said Oakville senior captain Tim Gardner. "This is something I'll remember the rest of my life."

Gardner was named the game's most valuable player with two assists and a back-breaking, short-handed goal.

The other Oakville goals came from his assists to his junior linemates: Ryan Kretzer, who transferred from CBC after his freshman year, and Mike Wirthlin.

Kretzer opened the scoring 23 seconds into the game. He poked in a loose puck in the crease after Gardner's shot eluded CBC goalie Cal Heeter.

"That's exactly what we didn't want," said CBC coach John Jost, whose team had won the last three Mid-States titles and four of the last five. "But then we came back and went up 2-1."

CBC patiently pushed into the lead on goals from freshman Brian Sheehan and junior Grant Gorczyca. The Cadets were dominating into the second period with a 14-2 lead in shots.

But Corey Rickermann, Oakville's junior goalie, was exceptionally sharp.

"And a little nervous," he said. "We had to pick it up or we were done."

They picked it up. Kretzer sent Gardner in for a short-handed breakaway in the second period to tie the score 2-2.

The seesaw started to tilt in Oakville's favor.

The Tigers got the clincher midway through the last 15-minute period when Gardner blasted a shot from the right circle.

The puck squibbed between Heeter's pads and Wirthlin charged into the crease for the tap-in.

The Cadets (35-1-3) pulled Heeter with 45 seconds left for an extra attacker and did everything but score.

When the final horn finally blew, the Tigers (25-5-1) threw their sticks, gloves and helmets skyward and swarmed Rickermann.

Rookie coach Ben Lamperti sprinted onto the ice in his street shoes and leaped into the arms of the 6-foot, 200-pound Gardner.

"I'm just so happy for the kids," said Lamperti, who plays in a Tuesday night rec league on a team with Jost's staff. "We felt if we could keep it close after two periods, we knew we'd have a chance."

For CBC, it was a harsh end to an improbable season.

twheatley@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8108