Oakville Hockey Trounces Eureka in the Playoffs

The Oakville hockey team completed the first step of what it hopes will be a long playoff run by sweeping Eureka in the first round of the Challenge Cup Division of the Mid-States Hockey Association.

The Tigers won their two games in the best-of-two series with the Wildcats by a combined score of 13-2. They won the first game 6-1 and then closed out Eureka 7-1 Monday at the Kennedy Recreation Center.

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"We knew that Eureka was going to be a desperate team tonight and wanted to play the same way we did Friday night," Oakville coach Derek Stephens said.

Oakville dominated from the opening faceoff but still found itself down 1-0 late in the first period Monday on a goal by Eureka's Ethan Bruening.

"We were down 1-0 after a lucky bounce," Oakville captain Tommy Heinzman said. "But we knew we could come back. The whole team was very confident. We knew we were the better team."

And the Tigers showed that the rest of the way, scoring seven unanswered goals. Steve Farina scored a big goal late in the first period to even things up at 1-1.

Oakville put the game away with four goals in the second period. Andrew Kovacich got things going with a pair of goals, the first coming on the first power play chance by either team. Heinzman and Troy Korte added goals as Oakville scored four times in a span of seven and a half minutes.

"These guys believe in each other and in our system," Stephens said. "We got the bad bounce and fell behind but the guys relaxed and stuck with the game plan. We are running on all cylinders right now although there is another level I think we can get to."

That might be necessary if the Tigers are to continue their run to what they hope will be an appearance in the championship game at the Scottrade Center on March 7.

Oakville will next take on Lindbergh. The Flyers won a hard-fought series against Kirkwood. Lindbergh won the first game but Kirkwood came back to win the second game Monday to force a mini-game. The game was not decided in the mini-game as the Flyers finally won in a shootout.

Oakville and Lindbergh played twice this season with both games ending in ties. Both teams were missing key players in one or both of the games.

"They are a tough team and we will need to play very well to win," Stephens said. "We have to do a good job of execution and do the little things you need to do to win championships."

Heinzman expects a tough series but feels his team may have the edge because of goalie Zach Jost.

"When he is on, he is the best goalie in the league," Heinzman said. "Their goalie is also good and it should be a good series."

Oakville, which won the Wickenheiser Cup in the 2009-10 season, competed in the Challenge Cup, the top tier of teams in the Mid-States, last year. They won their first round series as the 13th seed over Marquette before falling to Webster Groves. Oakville is seeded third this season.