February
16, 2008 - The first round of the CSCHL playoffs is in the books with
only one upset occurring on the day, and that was in the first game as #5 Kent
State knocked off #4 Iowa State. The Golden Flashes jumped out in front early,
scoring twice within a two minute span early in the first period. The first goal
coming on the power play off the stick of Chris Hourigan, followed up by a Josh
Martin goal a minute and forty-one seconds later. Iowa State would respond with
a goal of their own just 33 seconds later to make it 2-1 at the end of the first.
Kent State and Iowa State swapped a pair of goals in the second, the Golden Flashes
Kevin Collerain scoring just under a minute into the second session. The Cyclones
Brent Corneleus brought it back to a one goal two minutes later. Iowa State's
Mike Lebler would tie the game at 3-3 just under five minutes into the third
period, but a goal from Kent State's Chad Melberg with under five minutes to
go in the game would be the game winner. The 4-3 Kent State win would move them
on to the semi-final round.
The second game of the day would feature #3 Ohio University taking on #6 Eastern
Michigan. Once again it would be the under dog who would score first, as Eastern
Michigan's Joe Schweiger would provide the only scoring in the first period.
The Bobcat's John Yasik would even the game at one just 50 seconds into the second
period, which would also be the only scoring of the period. Ohio would come to
life in the third period, netting a pair of goals near the halfway point. JJ
Plutt would give the Bobcats the lead and a power play marker from Dave Fitzgerald
would would give Ohio the 3-1 win and move them onto the semi-final round.
#2 Lindenwood University and #7 Western Michigan would be on the schedule for
the 3rd game of the day, and like all of the previous games, the lower seeded
team would be the first to score. Three and a half minutes into the match, the
Stallion's Mike Podelnyk would put the first point on the board, but the Lions
of Lindenwood would tie the game with a goal from Justin McLaughlin before the
period was over. Lindenwood would own the second period putting in two goals,
the first from Daniel Amskold at 2:49 and the second from Jake Ebner at 10:27.
It would look as if the Lions would run away with the game as they added two
more goals early in the third. Cory Spradling and Ken Jacobsmeyer would extend
the Lions lead to 4, but the Stallions never gave up. Within a 73 second span
in the middle of the period, Western Michigan would 3 points on the board, making
it a one point game. Goals from Aaron Hartner, Aaron Moss, and Sean McWhorter
would make it a 5-4 game. The Bobcats would hold off any further charge from
the Stallions to take the game and move onto the semi-finals.
As host and the #1 seed, the University of Illinois would get the final match
of night with #8 Robert Morris College. In this game the Illini would score first
and score often as the overwhelmed the Eagles. The Illini would score 4 times
in the first period, including 3 power play goal, to take a 4-0 lead in the first.
Drew Heredia would score the first and third, a power play goal, goals of the
period. Alex Park and Jason Nemeth would pick up the other two power play goals
of the period. The second period would be more of the same, as the Illini would
double their score. The Illini's Joe Cordona would start off the scoring in the
second, followed by a power play goal from Johnny Liang. Drew Heredia would earn
the hat trick with his second power play goal of the night, and Pat Saliba would
round out the scoring for the period. Goals by Jason Nemeth and Joey Resch in
the third period for the Illini would give them the 10-0 win and have them advance
into the semi-finals
