The post-holiday blues stayed with the OPRF Hockey Club as the Huskies lost three games at the Chicago Blackhawk Charities 14th Annual High School Holiday Classic.
On Dec. 26, the Huskies faced Indiana’s defending state champ, Hamilton Southeast, and came up short 5-0. OPRF goalie Tanner Houston faced 32 shots and turned away 27.
The following morning OPRF took on Illinois’ defending state champ, Glenbrook North, losing 4-1. OPRF’s lone goal was scored by Evan Vondrasek in the first half.
Houston faced 52 shots on goal with 48 saves.
The Huskies fell to Metro West rival Sandburg 5-4 in Game 3 on Thursday night. The Eagles took an early lead with a power play goal, but OPRF came back with three goals in a row. Gar Lauerman got the Huskies on the board at 10:45 in the first half. Jonah Rice then scored at 6:41 with an end-to-end rush up the ice to take the lead. Kevin Meegan added to the lead in the closing seconds of the half.
Sandburg scored first in the second half, but the Huskies’ John Michiels responded with an unassisted power-play goal from behind the net with a wraparound shot between the Sandburg goalies’ legs to put OPRF in front 4-2. The Eagles never gave up and with a few breaks, evened the score at four with 6:37 left in the game.
With 15 seconds remaining on the clock, the Eagles took a shot from inside the OPRF blue line that hit a Huskie player and deflected into the OPRF goal to give Sandburg the win.
The Huskies will look to get back on track when they face Cary-Grove on Thursday in Crystal Lake and Hinsdale Central on Saturday at All Seasons Ice Arena. The team returns home on Sunday against Lincoln-Way East at Ridgeland Common.
A press release contributed to this report.
