Rams edge Hawks to win DII state hockey championship

BIG LAKE — A 1-0 Monroe Catholic lead and the potential of a tie game after two periods was separated by about an inch.

During the final seconds of the second period, Houston senior forward Austin Zweifel stormed up the left side of the ice, put a quick move on Monroe goalie Jaydon Pasillas and slipped a shot underneath the netminder’s stick side. The puck slid through the crease, behind the goalie, from the left toward the right side of the net, just in front of the post.

The Rams skated off the ice with the one-goal lead after two. If the puck was an inch the other direction, it could have been a tie game.

Pasillas came out in the third, stopped all 16 shots he saw in the final period, and led the Rams to a 2-0 win over Houston in the ASAA Division II First National Cup Saturday at the Big Lake Recreation Center.

“We couldn’t get a puck past their goalie,” Houston head coach Mike Styers said after the loss.

But Styers praised the toughness and the constant effort he saw from his players Saturday. He used Zweifel as an example. Near the end of the third period, Zweifel suffered a broken collarbone. It’s the second time this season Zweifel broke the collarbone, Styers said, fourth overall.

“He just got cleared Thursday to be able to play in the tournament,” Styers said. “We played him sparingly Friday. He got lots of time today and excelled.”

Zweifel also had a quality scoring chance early in the third, a shot created by a Houston odd-man rush. Styers said he is proud of the way his players hit the ice in the third period, particularly after the near miss at the end of the second.

“We worked hard in the third period, really came back hard, put pressure on,” Styers said. “They gave it everything they had. I couldn’t ask anything more from them.”

Houston finished with 35 shots in the game.

Monroe took the lead with 6:06 left in the first period. Monroe captain Ryan Michel pulled a puck off the back boards, and centered a pass to Chase Robinson, who found a gap on the right side of the net. Silas Hughes added a goal with 3:34 left in the game for the Rams.

Houston goalie Rylee Bolinder recorded 30 saves in the loss.

Saturday marked Houston’s sixth straight trip to the title game. It was the fourth straight year the Hawks met the Rams in the championship, and the fifth time in six years. Styers said he believes the Hawks and Rams have built a great rivalry over that span.

“I think it’s huge,” Styers said of the rivalry. “If anything builds a rivalry, that does.”

The Hawks featured eight seniors on the 2017-18 squad.

“They’re a bunch of very talented, hard working players,” Styers said. “I can’t say enough about them.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Monroe Catholic 2, Houston 0

ASAA Division II championship game

Saturday, Big Lake Recreation Center

First period ¬— 1. Monroe- Robinson (Michel) pp 6:06.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — 2. Monroe- Hughes (Michel) 3:34.

Shots on goal: Monroe 14-13-5—32, Houston 5-14-16—35; Saves: Monroe- Passillas 5-14-16—35, Houston- Bolinder 13-13-4—30.