STRONGSVILLE — In two different tournaments last weekend, one in suburban Cleveland and the other in suburban Columbus, the Bowling Green (12-10-4) and Perrysburg (13-10-1) hockey teams both reached the championship games of their respective tournaments.
In the Jesuit MLK Classic in Strongsville, Bowling Green went 1-1-1 , losing to Powell Olentangy Liberty, 7-1, in the championship on Monday. Liberty went 2-0-1.
In the opener against Team Ohio Friday, Tanner Amos scored for BG as the Bobcats earned a 1-1 tie.
BG defeated Olentangy Liberty, 5-2, in the second game Saturday. Amos scored twice, including once on a power play, and Ethan Helvoigt, Camden McIntosh and Braden Loomis scored. Helvoigt scored on a power play and Loomis scored unassisted.
Easton Schick and Rhett Winger had two assists each and Helvoigt, Reagan Cordes, Caden Wisniewski and Casey Moore had one assist each.
Perrysburg lost its first game in the Pioneer Classic Varsity Orange Division to Hudson, 4-2, but the Yellow Jackets won the next two and finished ahead of Hudson on points when the Explorers lost to New Albany.
Perrysburg defeated Lewis Center Olentangy, 4-3, and New Albany, 6-3, in its next two games, but lost to Newark, 2-1, in the championship on Sunday. It was Newark’s first win this season against a Northwest Hockey Conference team after four losses.
In the NHC Red Division this upcoming week, BG can vault to the top half of the standings if it can win all three games coming up, but it will not be easy. The Bobcats are currently 1-3 and in fifth place in the seven-team division.
The Bobcats take on archrival Findlay (13-9, 1-3) on the road at the Cube on Friday at 7 p.m., plus Toledo St. Francis (10-9-1, 4-1) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Bowling Green State University’s Slater Family Ice Arena and Toledo St. John’s (11-11-2, 3-1-1) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Slater Arena.
This upcoming week, Perrysburg will need to take care of business against Anthony Wayne (8-15-1, 0-4) on 7:30 p.m. Friday at Slater Arena and pull off an upset of Sylvania Northview (13-7-3, 4-0-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Tam-O-Shanter if it wants to be considered a top Red Division team.
Northview could put a hammer lock on the regular season title by winning its three games this weekend. They face St. John’s, Perrysburg, and St. Francis. The Wildcats could open up a seven-point lead if they win those three games and BG can defeat St. Francis and St. John’s.
Also, last weekend, Springboro enjoyed its trip north by shutting out both the Lake club team, 3-0, at Ottawa Park in West Toledo on Friday and Toledo Whitmer, 3-1, at the Ice House on Saturday.
The Dayton area-based Panthers then took some time off to watch BGSU hockey team win on Saturday night.
Lake is 10-4-1 but leads the five-team NHC White Division with a 4-0 record, followed by Clay (9-9-1, 3-1) in second place.
