Jr. Boys Battle to Overtime in Season Opener
By Larry Moko
The 2025 Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic junior high school hockey schedule is off to an exciting start.
Jozef Glen's shorthanded goal eight minutes into a 10-minute overtime period lifted the St. Mary Crusaders to a 2-1 victory over the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals at Mohawk 4 Ice Centre Tuesday.
It's the first time overtime has been used for a junior league regular-season game.
And several powerplay opportunities during the opener's OT session added to the overall drama.
"That was fun," St. Mary coach Jason Kokoski said.
It's the fourth year of operation for the league which Kokoski helped get off the ground. Previous champions have been from Bishop Tonnos, St. Thomas More and Bishop Ryan.
"We're changing it up this year," he said. "It's just something we're trying. We have 3-point games. If it's a tie we go to a 10-minute, 3-on-3 overtime. Then, if there's time, we go to a shootout from there.
"We want to try and make sure we have a winner before the curfew."
Ben Lamb opened the scoring for St. Mary with a sharp-angled wrister in the first period.
Sam Gall replied for the Cardinals in the final minute of the second period by swiping the puck into the net from the slot.
Lamb also assisted on the game-winning goal.
"(Glen) has kind of played both ends at forward and defence for us this year," said Kokoski, who also coached the St. Mary varsity squad at the recent OFSAA tournament for A/AA schools in Sudbury.
"He played on the senior team along with most of the guys on this team. It's nice we've had the chemistry together."
Newman coach Matt Pritchard said both goaltenders -- Lennox Borer of St. Mary and Mitchell Caudle of the Cardinals -- were key factors in the contest.
"It was a really good game for both sides," he said. "Either team could have won that one."
Pritchard supports having the spring hockey league for players in Grade 9 and 10.
"I think it's great," he said. "We have a lot of guys that played on our varsity team, but they weren't necessarily go-to guys who played a lot. Whereas now, they're getting more ice time and they get to see what it means to be an important part of the team."
Kokoski points out that some Grade 9s may be hesitant to come out for the senior squad because it's for anyone from Grades 9 to 12.
"But because this is 9 and 10," he said, "they are a little more comfortable. The kids get to play with their friends."
Only a few years ago, defenceman Matthew Shaefer was a member of Newman's senior and junior teams. He's gone on to play in the Ontario Hockey League and, recently, served as captain of Canada's entry at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa.
Schaefer suffered a broken collarbone at that tournament, however, and is hoping to return to the Erie Otters playoff lineup.
Many have projected Schaefer as a No. 1 NHL draft choice.
"I know at the World Junior tournament they were saying Matthew was still going to be No. 1 when he got hurt," the Newman coach said. "Craig Button on TSN just released his draft rankings and still had him at No. 1."
In the other Hamilton-Wentworth junior game played simultaneously on an adjacent ice surface, the defending champion Bishop Ryan Celtics topped the Bishop Tonnos Titans, 7-1.
The Celtics, who scored six times in the second period, got goals by Mason Hunks, Carter Brennan, Jett Metaxas, Nolan Pond, Owen Snider, Luke Della Maestra and Boston Strauch.
Liam Morris got the lone Tonnos marker in the third period.
The St. Thomas More Knights had a bye.
The top four finishers qualify for the semifinals on April 24. That's followed by a championship game April 29 at Mohawk 4 Ice Centre.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
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