BROOKLYN, OH - The Brooklyn Region continues to run through Saint Ignatius as the program has clinched a third consecutive Regional Championship after a 6-2 victory over the Padua Bruins on Saturday. The Wildcats have advanced to the OHSAA State Semifinal for the 14th time in program history.
The Padua Bruins came into Saturday afternoon with momentum after upsetting the St. Edward Eagles in the Regional Semifinal. The Bruins also had a chip on their shoulder after falling to the Wildcats earlier in the season on January 17 when they lost 4-0.
It would not take long for the Wildcats to take complete control. Padua would win the opening puck drop, but the Cats would gain control immediately. Sophomore
Kyle Rucinski would lay a perfect cross-ice pass to fellow sophomore
Patrick Rose, bringing him into the Padua zone. Rose would pass right away to senior captain
Nolan Ignacio, who would find the back of the net on a backhanded goal 15 seconds into the contest.
Padua goalie Joshua Kustra and the Bruin defense would tighten up after the opening goal, thwarting opportunities from the Wildcats throughout the frame. With 3:19 remaining in the first period,
TJ Hulec took a rip, but Kustra made an excellent save to keep the score 1-0 in favor of the Cats.
Jack Olbrys would take a shot on net, but
Dominic Filizetti would deflect the shot. The Wildcats would go on the attack on a two vs. one with
Cade Bradley and
Sam Elwell. Elwell would take a shot to the upper right corner and make it 2-0 with just over two minutes remaining in the first period.
Out of the first intermission, the Wildcats came in with putting the nail in the coffin early. With 30 seconds into the second period, the Wildcats would work the puck into the Padua zone. Junior
Nick Miller would take a shot, but it would hit
Zachary Bleick's stick. Bleick would work the puck around Kustra, leaving a wide-open sweep shot for freshman
Levi Gallucci to give the Wildcats a 3-0 advantage.
With 10:27 remaining in the second period, Rose would win the fight for the puck and pass it to Rucinski. The sophomore would orchestrate a perfect toe drag to shake a Bruin defender and score to extend the Wildcat lead to 4-0.
Bradley would poke the puck away from the Bruins to start a two vs. one breakaway. Bradley would take a shot, but Kustra would make the save. The puck deflected to the stick of senior
Otto Bafus, who would go
"five-hole" sneaking a shot through the legs of Kustra to make the score 5-0 Wildcats.
With 7:23 remaining in the second frame, Miller would round out the scoring on the day for the Wildcats. He would skate into the Padua Zone and get the puck deflected, but Miller quickly regained control and took a shot that went right past Kustra. The Wildcats would score four consecutive goals in the second period to lead 6-0 with 15 minutes remaining in the Regional Final.
In the third period, the Bruins would gain momentum after a boarding call on the Wildcats sent Rucinski into the sin bin with 9:16 remaining. Padua would score on a Power Play goal from Adam Coyne to chip into the Wildcat lead.
Padua would add one more with 29 seconds remaining on the Power Play. A shot by the Bruins would deflect off Filizetti's glove and hit the back of the net to make it 6-2 with 4:32 remaining in regulation.
The Wildcats would control the puck for the remainder of the contest and clinch a spot in the Frozen Four with a 6-2 win over Padua. It is the Wildcats' third consecutive Regional Championship win and 14th overall trip to the Frozen Four.
The Wildcats are seeking to repeat as OHSAA State Champions but will face a challenging test when they face Toledo St. Francis in the State Semifinal on Saturday, March 8, at 2 p.m. at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. It is a rematch of last season's State Semifinal, where the Wildcats defeated the Knights 6-4.
The Knights are the number-one ranked team in Ohio, with a 29-6-0 record. On January 3 at the Tam-O-Shanter, St. Francis defeated the Wildcats 6-5 in overtime. The winner will play for the OHSAA State Championship on Sunday, March 9, at 1 p.m. and face the Mentor/Upper Arlington winner back at Nationwide Arena.
Gallery: (3-4-2025) Saint Ignatius vs. Padua(Regional Final)
