Jr. Blues Win Hurster Cup!

 

The journey to the Hurster Cup Championship was a rocky one for the 3 time defending Hurster Cup Champions.  The Jr. Blues started the round robin portion of the Championship against the Toledo Cherokee.  The Jr. Blues had won a team and league record 41 consecutive games.  But the Cherokee were hungry and took the first period play to the Jr. Blues.  The Cherokee scored just 3 minutes into the game putting the Jr. Blues on the defensive.  Moments later Grant Everett converted a Bret Morrell rebound tying the score.  Kyle Gouge assisted on the play.  Late in the period, the Cherokee took the lead. 

 

The second period started badly for the Jr. Blues as the Cherokee scored a power play goal to increase their lead to 3-1.  The Jr. Blues captain, Pat Dolan, quickly responded with a goal just 43 seconds later.  But the Cherokee answered the goal with a quick goal themselves making it 4-2.   The Jr. Blues had numerous chances in the second and third periods but couldn't score again and found themselves losing the first game of the Round Robin.  Rob Moss lost his first game of the year stopping 22 of 26 shots.

 

The Jr. Blues faced the regular season 2nd place Motor City Chiefs in their second Round Robin game.  The winner of the game would still have opportunity to advance to the Championship Game but the loser would fall to fourth place in the Hurster Cup.  The Chiefs scored first and the Jr. Blues found themselves in a hole again.  On the power play, Bret Morrell made a quick pass to Chris Saracino who blasted a shot that was tipped in by Ryan Loach to tie the game.   In the last minute of the period, Bret Morrell broke up a Chiefs play at his blue line and quickly found CJ Chappell with a sharp pass.  Chappell raced in on a two on one break with Ryan Kretzer.  Chappell quickly hit Kretzer with a pass and Ryan made no mistake to give the Jr. Blues the lead.  The second period the Jr. Blues used their speed and skill to overwhelm the Chiefs.   The Jr. Blues once again used their transition game from deep in their zone.  Ryan Holzum hit Tim Gardner streaking down the wing.  Gardner drove the net and the last moment fed Brendan Sheehan in front who slammed it home.  Just 21 seconds later Kyle Gouge converted a pass from Chad Larkowski as Grant Everett also assisted on the goal.  Late in the third period, Tim Jost tipped a Bret Morrell shot on the power play with Ryan Loach also assisting.  Morrell led all scorers in the game with 3 assists as five different Jr. Blues scored goals.  Cal Heeter was steady in net making 20 saves on 21 shots.

 

The Jr. Blues now faced the surprising Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks in their final Round Robin contest.  The winner of this game earned a spot in the Championship Game.  The Jr. Blues scored the only goal of the first period on the power play.  Ryan Kretzer took an Eddie Effinger feed and walked out of the corner with a quick shot.  Joe Combs also assisted on  the goal.  The second period was an offensive display that has thrilled the Affton Ice Rink all year.  Captain Pat Dolan scored early in the period from the high slot off a Tim Jost feed.  The wrister beat the goaltender cleanly as Tom Lange also assisted on the goal.  Just 15 seconds later Brendan Sheehan made a great move on a defenseman and then deked the goaltender making it 3-0.  Kyle Gouge and Chad Larkowski assisted the goal.  Pat Dolan then scored on a slap shot from the point on the power play.  Joe Combs and Tim Jost assisted on the Dolan goal.  Another power play goal was scored as Chris Saracino blasted one home from the point as Kyle Gouge and Brendan Sheehan assisted.  Cleveland broke Cal Heeter's shutout bid in the third period but Heeter was again impressive making 21 saves on 22 shots.  Defense pair of Dolan and Combs were the scoring stars as Dolan had two goals and Combs had two assists.  

 

The Championship Game was one that all who saw will remember for some time.  The Jr. Blues were given the opportunity to seek revenge for their earlier loss against the Toledo Cherokee.  The Cherokee scored the only goal of the first period on the power play.  The Cherokee had 4 power play opportunities to the Jr. Blues one in the period.  With the Jr. Blues backs against the wall, they came out in the second period with a look of determination.  Ryan Loach tied the score early in the period on the power play converting a Tom Lange rebound.  Joe Combs also assisted on the goal.  The Jr. Blues then took advantage of a 5 on 3 power play.  Pat Dolan started the play with a pass to Chris Saracino.  Saracino made a quick cross ice pass to Ryan Loach who one-timed a goal and gave the Jr. Blues their first lead.  However, after 3 consecutive questionable calls, the Jr. Blues found themselves two men short for over 3 consecutive minutes.   The Cherokee tied the score on the advantage.  But once the teams played 5 on 5, the Jr. Blues dominated.  Ryan Loach completed his natural hat-trick on a 3 on 2 rush.  Tom Lange took the puck into the zone and slid it to Tim Jost.  Jost then found Loach all alone in the slot as Ryan made the perfect shot.   The Jr. Blues blasted 23 shots in the period and dominated the Cherokee.

 

The Jr. Blues held a 3-2 lead as the third period started.  The Jr. Blues were making a line change as they dumped the puck in the Toledo zone.  Ryan Loach made the forecheck and forced a poor pass to the Cherokee winger.  Kyle Gouge stripped the puck and quickly blasted a shot past the shocked Cherokee goaltender.   The Jr. Blues controlled the play in the period again.  But, another questionable call put the Jr. Blues shorthanded with 6 minutes to go.  The Cherokee scored on the power play to close the gap to 4-3.  The Jr. Blues then had a power play themselves.  It was Kyle Gouge who again sniped a shot.  The play started with Pat Dolan sending Eddie Effinger.  Effinger hit Gouge who scored with his usual quick shot giving the Jr. Blues a seemingly comfortable 5-3 lead with 2 minutes to play.  But, again, the official made a call that puzzled all in attendance as a Cherokee player fell to the ice without having contact with any Jr. Blues player.  The Cherokee then scored their fourth power play goal with 53 seconds remaining in the game.  With 25 seconds remaining, Robby Moss made the save of the season as an injured Jr. Blues defenseman tried to clear a puck that found a Cherokee player in the slot.  Moss made the glove save and forced a face-off.  Tim Jost won the draw and then chipped the puck out of the zone.  CJ Chappell raced down the puck and then scored the empty netter as the large crowd went crazy in celebration.  The exciting finish only showed the resolve and heart of the Jr. Blues despite the incredible turn of events in the period.  Robby Moss made 33 saves on 37 shots for the win, avenging his loss early in the week.  Ryan Loach and Kyle Gouge were the goal scorers as Loach had the hat-trick and Gouge had the two 3rd. period goals.  Tom Lange, Tim Jost and Pat Dolan each had two assists.

 

When the season began, the Jr. Blues set some lofty goals.  Winning the League and winning the Hurster Cup has achieved two of those goals.  Now it is on to Philadelphia to the Junior B Nationals as they try to become only the second team in USA Hockey history to win 3 consecutive Junior B National Championships.  

 

 

Hurster Cup Scoring:

 

Kyle Gouge 3 goals, 3 assists

Ryan Loach 4 goals, 1 assist

Pat Dolan 3 goals, 2 assists

Tim Jost 1 goal, 4 assists

Bret Morrell 4 assists

Brendan Sheehan 2 goals, 1 assist

Chris Saracino 1 goal, 2 assists

Joe Combs 3 assists

Tom Lange 3 assists

Ryan Kretzer 2 goals

Grant Everett 1 goal, 1 assist

CJ Chappell 1 goal, 1 assist

Eddie Effinger 2 assists

Chad Larkowski 2 assists

Scott Keeven 1 assist

Tim Gardner 1 assist

Ryan Holzum 1 assist

The St. Louis Jr. Blues Celebrate Their 4th Consecutive Hurster Cup Championship
CSHL Vice President Chuck LeMay Presents St. Louis Captains (L-R) Eddie Effinger, Bret Morrell and Pat Dolan with the CSHL League Championship Trophy	CSHL Vice President Chuck LeMay Presents St. Louis Captains (L-R) Eddie Effinger, Bret Morrell and Pat Dolan with the CSHL Hurster Cup
CSHL Vice President Chuck LeMay with St. Louis Captains (L-R) Eddie Effinger, Bret Morrell and Pat Dolan with the CSHL Hurster Cup Traveling Trophy and Championship Trophy	2005-06 Hurster Cup Champions St. Louis Jr. Blues