BROOKLYN, Ohio – Rocky River routed Cleveland Heights, 10-0,
in a first-round game of the 2020 Baron Cup on Wednesday night.In a 31-minute, mercy-rule victory, River netted 10 goals on
50 shots. The Pirates now advance in the brackets and will play Strongsville
on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
When they took to the ice at the Brooklyn Recreation Center,
the Pirates (21-7-3) wasted no time in lighting the lamp. Luke Mallett scored 19 seconds in to put River
on the board. Mallett’s goal would be the first of seven for the Pirates in the
first period. All seven were scored in the first seven-and-a-half minutes of
action.
River’s roster depth was spilling over the boards the rest
of a game that saw the Maroon & White scored seven in the first period, two
in the second, and one in the third. A Luke Mallett goal in the opening minute
of the third ended the contest. The final score marked Rocky River’s third
10-goal game against Cleveland Heights this season and the Pirates’ sixth
double-digit total of the season.
Mallett and fellow senior forward Logan Fortune went off in
the opening-round contest of Cleveland’s oldest high school hockey tournament.
Fortune tallied two goals and four assists in the contest. Mallett had added
three assists to his bookend goals.
Also scoring multiple points in the game were Ethan
Routenberg (three assists), Matt Stueber (two goals), James Byall (two goals),
Ian Opdycke (two assists) and Ben Greenfield (two assists). Senior goaltender
Ethan Mylett stopped 6-of-6 shots to register his fifth shutout of the season.
CANNON FIRE …
ROUND NUMBERS: With his two goals Wednesday, Luke Mallett has now scored 20 this season. … Ethan Routenberg’s three assists from the gam lift his season total to 30. The Pirates need 13 goals to reach 200 for the season, would-be first for the program since the 2011-12 season (246 goals in 34 games).
SHARP-SHOOTERS: The Pirates have logged a 17.2% shooting mark over their last four games. Over that stretch, 12 different players have found the back of the net for the Double-R.
DOWN THE ROAD: The Brooklyn District bracket for the upcoming Ohio State Hockey Tournament has been set. Rocky River will open with a 5 p.m. game against Elyria Catholic on Feb. 23. The district tournament will be played at the Brooklyn Recreation Center.
by Skip Snow
# # # pirates # # #