CANTON, Ohio – Rocky River opened state tournament qualifying
play with a 16-0 victory over Elyria Catholic on Sunday.The No. 3 seed in the Brooklyn
State Qualifying Tournament scored a dozen goals in the opening period and
four more in the second, dispatching the No. 18 Panthers in 30 minutes with the
tournament’s 10-goal-third-period mercy rule in play. Sixteen different Pirate
players logged a point in the rout at the Brooklyn Recreation Center. River’s
game total against the undermanned Panthers marked the program’s most in a
single game over the last 20 years. EC’s roster featured just nine players.
Rocky River outshot Elyria Catholic, 55-2. Senior center
Luke Mallett was the Pirates’ top scorer. Mallett logged his 33rd,
34th and 35th career goals in the contest. Matt Stueber
(goal, two assists), Logan Fortune (two goals, assist), and Hayden Weaver (two
goals, assist) also tallied three points in the contest.
When Weaver assisted on a James Byall goal midway through
the second, the point marked his 50th of the season.
Chris Cogan stopped 2-of-2 shots to preserve the team’s
seventh shutout of the season.
Cogan had a front-row seat to watch his teammates control
the other end of the ice in what was a one-sided affair.
… in what is now a one-way bracket moving forward. Win, and more
ice is ahead. Lose, and it all melts under a handshake line.
by Skip Snow
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