HS Hockey: Avon Lake Falls To Hudson High School 6-5

Avon Lake Game Leaders
Goals – 5 players (#9, 13, 14, 16, 58) – 1
Assists – 6 players (#7, 9, 13, 14, 42, 71) – 1
Shots – Nick Ospelt – 4
Saves – Dillon Aslaksen – 37

Avon Lake Team Stats
Power Plays – 1 for 5
Shorthanded Goals – 0
Penalties (min) – 5 (10)
Shots on Goal – 21
Face Offs Won – 16 of 47

Playing tough red teams from the GCHSHL is a good way to test a first year white team and grow, but playing two red teams with start times 5 hours apart would scare most away. The Shoremen did that today, taking on Hudson after playing Rocky River earlier and Avon Lake battled back from a early Explorer lead to fall just short, 6-5.

The first period saw Avon Lake give up 3 goals on 19 shots, including the first power play goal scored against so far this season. The Shoremen were able to find 7 shots of their own in a period spent mainly in the defensive zone. Solid goaltending for a second game in a row by junior Dillon Aslaksen kept the Shoremen close enough to make it a game.

Avon Lake came back strong in the second, leading the shots 9-8, but traded goals with Hudson while giving up 2 more power play goals. The Shoremen were able to break through with a goal from junior Nick Ospelt with his team leading 7th goal on a assist from fellow junior Tommy Kacmarcik. The second goal by Avon Lake came from the stick of sophomore Adam Kelly who played solid on both sides of the puck all game. Kelly’s goal came off a point shot from Colin Reynolds with the secondary assist going to senior captain Tim Lubertozzi for his first point in his second game of the season.

After the Explorers added their 6th goal of the night about 3 minutes into the third and down 6-2, Avon Lake started to fight back scoring the last three goals of the game. To start the push, Jacob Schaltenbrand scored on a rebound with assists from Brian Walasinski and Justin Share. This goal looked a lot like the goal Schaltenbrand scored earlier in the day and gives him 3 goals in the first 5 games after moving up from defense.

Avon Lake then cashed in on a power play goal off a faceoff play, scored by Justin Share from Nick Ospelt with a nice screen in front by junior Devin Elliott. 10 seconds after a Shoremen timeout, captain Tim Lubertozzi took the puck and scored a great goal just before being knocked into the post.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time on the clock for the Shoremen to get the tying goal, but are looking to carry the momentum into the final game of the tournament against Solon. Game time on Sunday 11/25 is 10:15 at Rocky River.