The OHS varsity ice hockey team took on defending state champions SLUH last Thursday (Oct. 10) in the Top Hat Tournament. The game was constantly back and forth, every time OHS would score the SLUH would answer back with another goal. It was a hard fought battle by the tigers but they couldn’t pull out the win, losing 5-3.

Late in the first period SLUH got a lucky tip in off a shot from the point to take a lead 1-0. Early in the second period Lance French (12) got a beautiful pass from Dakota Schutz (12) to open up an opportunity for a breakaway and French buried his chance to knot the game at 1-1. Moments later Steve Farina put a rebound in the back of the net from defenseman Cameron Dulle’s (12) shot from the point to jolt the tigers ahead 2-1.

SLUH was not done yet, quickly after the tigers took the lead SLUH came back with an answering powerplay goal off another beautiful tip-in to tie the game back up 2-2. Late in the second period SLUH scored off a backdoor pass to give them a 3-2 lead. The second period ended with Oakville down 3-2.

Quickly in the third, SLUH got a penalty for roughing and gave OHS their chance to tie the game back up on the powerplay.Needing no more than 20 seconds on the powerplay Charlie Freshman (11) scored. The game was now tied at three with 13 minutes left. In less than two minutes after OHS’ goal SLUH came back with a snipe from below the faceoff dot to take the lead 4-3 and that was all they needed.

Goaltender Blake Chapman (12) said after the game, “Both teams played well, but we fell short. We need to work on a few things and stay discipline. Other than that we had a good game.”