Section V Class A Quarterfinal: Greece Athena/Odyssey 6, Aquinas 0, (Lakeshore Hockey Arena)

Section V Quarterfinals Thunder 6, Aquinas 0

PHOTOS

D&C Staff Reports 2/21/09

If it looked like the Greece Athena/Odyssey hockey team was playing with an extra bounce in its step, that's because the 30 boys welcomed a familiar sight back to their bench during Saturday's Class A quarterfinal matchup with rival Aquinas. Dan Webb, the embattled ninth-year Thunder leader who resigned as coach of the state's top-ranked Division I team Feb. 6, returned to the bench at Lakeshore Ice Arena after serving his school board-mandated two-game suspension. The top-seeded Thunder (22-0), inspired by their coach's presence, responded with a 6-0 shutout of the Little Irish before more than 900 people inside a jam-packed Lakeshore. Sophomore forward Riley Bourbonnais, who has a penchant for scoring big goals in sectionals, found the back of the net three times, upping his season total to 21.

"It was awesome having them back, Coach Webb has done nothing but help me with everything and he's a great coach. No one can replace him," said Bourbonnais, who wore his emotions on top of his black Thunder helmet, which read "I miss Webb, W (for assistant coach Rob Weilert) and G (for assistant coach Erik Geller) who all returned to the bench Saturday. "It felt amazing and so right having them back. I was crushed by (coach) Webb not being there, so when I saw him out there I was happy and wanted to work hard for him and bring him back a state title."

No. 8 Aquinas (11-12-2-1) had several good scoring chances early on, but couldn't convert, thanks to an aggressive, hard-hitting Thunder defense. Matt Lane's goal with 2:53 remaining in the first gave Athena/Odyssey a 1-0 lead. Following a Thunder penalty, Athena/Odyssey defenseman Eric Gunderson caused a turnover and delivered a perfect pass to Bourbonnais inside Aquinas' blue line. Bourbonnais' fake forced Aquinas goalie Peter Dohr to make a play on the puck low, leaving the entire far side of the net open. Bourbonnais converted an acrobatic back-hander for a short-handed goal and a 2-0 lead 1:26 into the second.

"Riley's an amazing athlete and he always comes through at clutch times when we really need some offense," Webb said of Bourbonnais, who now has six goals in his last four sectional games. "He's one of our guys that seems to always produce those big-time, big goals. He's a play-maker all the time." With Bonis (18 saves) stifling every Aquinas opportunity, two goals was more than enough to lift the Thunder into Tuesday's semifinals against Greece Arcadia/Olympia (13-8-2-1).

Greece sophomore J.T. Stenglein was a little worried about facing tough, physical Aquinas for a third time, after the Thunder escaped with a pair of one-goal wins in the regular season. "If there was one team we didn't want to play, it was definitely Aquinas," said Stenglein, who made the score 4-0 on a power-play goal 9:22 into the second. "They were probably the best team we played all year, they always gave us hard games and we were nervous with the draw, but we came out on top. We have a deep team that can make a run" at sectionals and states.

After the loss, all Aquinas coach Steve Chinappi could do was praise the Thunder's all-around balanced play. "That's the best team I've seen," said Chinappi, who pointed to his team's lack of power play goals and poor special teams play with creating the deficit. "Today Greece was on top of its game and didn't make one mistake. Even when they were short-handed, their penalty killers didn't make mistakes and Bonis made every save he could to keep that lead."

WES VYVERBERG REPORTS:

As expected, the ticket line was out the door for the Section V Class A Sectional Quarterfinal contest between your very own undefeated Greece Athena/Odyssey Thunder and the Aquinas Little Irish. With the guys who got them there back behind the bench, the rolling Thunder came on like a hurricane, pouring rain on AQ's parade with a six nothing spanking Saturday afternoon at Lakeshore to advance themselves to the next round and keep the dream alive.

With the notion of one and out in the back of everyone's mind going in, you could cut the tension with a spork. But with the little lady at the mic, putting her big, bold, and beautiful signature on the anthem, it was a 'Bonis' that would take the edge off for the Thunder. AQ on the other hand was panicking from the get go as they threw the puck away on numerous occasions. When they did try to penetrate, Brandon Cheeseman and Scotty Tam-Grimshaw were in their face with several key blocks to keep AQ at bay in the early going. Thunder was steadfast with their forecheck and it was only a matter of time before the Dohr would swing wide open. Matt Lane was first through the Dohr with just under 3 minutes to go in the opening period, as he walked out of the corner, pulled the trigger, and watched his attempt work its way in over the AQ goaltender's shoulder. Steven Hebberecht recorded the lone assist on Thunder's first goal and eventual winner.

Second period action saw thunder on the short end of a 5 on 3 situation, but as Bourbonnais cleared the box, Gunderson sailed a pass to him alone at the AQ line, and Riley went in 1 on 0 for the shawty to make it 2-0 Thunder. Five minutes later with their own man advantage, Thunder was working it around the horn, lulling AQ to sleep when Rilez suddenly took an unexpected shot (or was it a pass) from the top of the key, that slid into the 4-hole on the ice for an unassuming PPG, assisted by Greg Ryan and JT Stenglein. A while later Scotty made a nice diving play to clear the zone before JT went on a walkabout with a shorthanded bid of his own. Taken down at the last second before getting the shot off, JT was expecting a penalty shot, but we had to settle for a trip instead. No worries, as Thunder would rally on the powerplay after another extended presence in AQ's end. Just plain strong on the puck, Stenglein ended up firing the laser that hit its mark, top-right, as he was falling to the ice. That makes 4 goals for the good guys and 0 for the guys who reportedly claim that our guys will some day be changing their oil. Stick around. More fun to come after the break.

Four minutes into the third and final frame, Dan Vyverberg took one for the team, getting a sizeable chunk of AQ's captain (Starnino), while making the outlet to setup Thunder's fifth goal, Cheeseman from Stenglein and Vyverberg. A minute later Ben McCubbin gathered the puck and started the breakout from behind the Thunder goal, hitting Pat Sofia on the tape on the half-wall. Sofia bumped it out to Ryan who then found Bourbonnais streaking through neutral and Riley walked in on Dohr, beating him 5-hole with the backhander for the Hat. The balance of the third was spent trying to get Grillsy a goal, and while Jordan managed to hit the scoresheet, it was unfortunately as they announced his name on the way to the box. Tomorrow's another day. With less than 2 minutes to go in the game, Vyverberg took another one for the team, coming out to challenge the shooter and blocking a shot in the high slot with his chest to preserve the SO. Notice I didn't say it? Well, Dan Miller did and thus he had to hold his breath for the final 1:55 for fear that he may have jinxed us. Miller wiped the sweat from his brow as the fourth line shut things down and the building erupted. Way to go Thunder!    

First star of the game goes to Riley Bourbonnais with the Hat; second star goes to JT Stenglein with a goal and 2 assists; and third star goes to Matt Lane for leading the way with the winner and a no-quit forecheck all day. Shots were 28-18 in Thunder's favor with Parker Bonis gloving everything that came his way as he pitched his 4th shut-out and recorded his 14th win on the season. With a third victory over Aquinas in the books, Thunder advances to the semifinal round still perfect at 22-0.

No rest for the weary as we prepare for the 'Battle of Greece' to be waged in Henrietta when the Greece Athena/Odyssey Thunder Hockey Team faces storm rival Greece Arcadia/Olympia Lightning in the Section V Class A Semifinals, 6pm on Tuesday, February 24th @ ESL Sports Centre. Be there or be somewhere else missing out on history in the making!