Challenge Cup Preview: Webster Looking to Snap Skid

After going three weeks without a victory, the Webster Groves Hockey Club cannot allow their skid to continue if they want their season to stay alive.

The team's recent struggles caused it to fall to the No. 12 seed in the 16-team 2011 Challenge Cup. The Statesmen have not won since Jan. 11, and they are hoping to get back to early-season form as they enter the postseason tourney’s first round.

The Statesman will play Game 1 against No. 5 seed Fort Zumwalt West on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. at the Webster Groves Recreation Center.

“We’ve only got a few pure goal scorers on the team, so it’s pretty important that we also play solid defensively,” said Dave Garth, Webster coach.

Those high-octane goal scorers are seniors Killian Ferrell and Michael Becker, who have scored 49 combined goals this season. The defense is led by senior captain Parker Stovall.

The first round the Challenge Cup features a two-game series. If each team wins one game, they play a mini-game right after the conclusion of the second game to determine who advances. This includes a 10-minute period, followed by a shootout if the game is still tied.

Eureka and Kirkwood are ranked No. 8  and No. 9 in the Challenge Cup tournament, respectively.

Kirkwood will look to improve on last year’s Challenge Cup quarterfinal run when the Pioneers were knocked out by SLUH in the mini game of that series. This will be the first matchup between the Pioneers and Wildcats this season and Game 1 is today at 7:10 p.m. at Fenton Forum Ice Rink.

“It’s always important to score the first goal in the game, so getting off to an early lead is critical because Eureka has scored a lot of goals this season,” said Greg Griffin, Kirkwood coach.

The Wildcats are looking to bounce back from a 2-2 tie against Rockwood Summit in the regular-season finale, which cost them the South Division championship.

“We got to put three periods together," said Eureka coach Kevin Markovitz. "Almost every game we come out flying the first seven or eight minutes then we go into a lull, and then we turn it on again in the third period, and it’s been a trend that we need to reverse here going into the playoffs.”

Eureka’s high-powered offense scored 111 goals on the regular season. The Wildcats are led by senior Kenny Janssen with 21 goals, while Kirkwood’s defense and goaltending have only allowed six goals in its past five games.

Meanwhile, the CBC Cadets will begin their quest to head back to the Challenge Cup Final by playing against a division opponent.

Top-ranked CBC will take on Metro Division-rival Vianney on Thursday night in the first round of the Challenge Cup tournament at Kennedy Recreation Center in South County. The Cadets beat the Golden Griffins all three times in the regular season and once in the preseason.

Game 2 of this first-round matchup and the mini-game (if necessary) will be Saturday at Affton Ice Rink.

“We know a lot about each other, and they are one of the toughest 16th seeds you can face,” said CBC coach John Jost. “You really have to take it one game at a time in the playoffs or your season will be over pretty quick.”

CBC finished this season with just one loss and one tie. The Cadets had an undefeated regular season record in the very competitive Metro Division, with their lone tie coming against DeSmet in the final game of the regular season.

CBC is anchored by a core of seniors who want to avenge last year’s title game loss, including leading scorer and senior captain Jack Ryan.

"Losing last year definitely makes every senior on this team work that much harder and want to win that much more this year," Ryan said.

The Seckman Jaguars snuck into the Challenge Cup tournament as the No. 15 seed and will face second-ranked Francis Howell Central in the first round. Seckman won the South Division for the second straight year, defeating Northwest 8-5 on the final day of the regular season to edge out Eureka.

Senior captain Scott Leslie will lead the underdog Jaguars with his team-leading 31 goals and 52 points.

“Scotty is a guy that can control the game,” said head coach Bob Bucher. “He’s got the size, skating ability and can shoot the puck, and he’s continued to elevate his game throughout the years."

Francis Howell Central knocked out Seckman last year in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals. The Jaguars and Spartans will square off in Game 1 on Saturday at 9:15 p.m. at Kennedy Recreation Center in South County.

Southwest Division foes Marquette and Oakville will play the first game of their series on Friday at 9:30 p.m. at Kennedy Recreation Center in South County. Marquette and Oakville tied 4-4 in their last meeting on Jan. 24. Marquette blanked the Tigers 3-0 back in December.

“We drew one of the strongest teams in the league," said Oakville coach Derek Stephens. “Our main focus is just to play our game and do what we were able to do last time we played them.”

Marquette only has had two wins in their past five games, but finished with only two losses on the season. The Mustangs won the Southwest Division title. Oakville has been hot as of late, finishing the season with an 8-1-1 record.

Marquette coach Ryan Kane said: “We feel like we have something to prove after the tie to Oakville last game. We know we didn't bring our best game, and we have a little chip on our shoulder right now."

Stephens added: “The players are starting to believe in themselves and in each other and their capability and potential. They also believe in our system and are coming together as a team at the right time, and on any given night hard work will beat talent.”

Oakville sophomore goaltender Zach Jost has been strong in net, allowing over two goals just once in his past 10 games. Marquette forwards Doug Thorson and Sam Turner carry the load offensively, scoring nearly half of the team’s goals during the regular season.