Boys hockey: Strong performance not enough for Caxys

The Lake Forest Academy varsity hockey squad lost 5-2 to Carmel Catholic on Feb. 24, but strong play by underclassmen brought the team within a goal in the third period, giving Coach Rob Klein hope for 2015.

“I think our team played with a lot of heart and tenacity,” Klein said. “We have a really young squad, so it was a good game for us to build off going into next year.”

Klein said sophomore defender Peter Corsiglia’s “played his best game of the year” in the losing effort at Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills.

“He played great position, kept the puck out of our end and got some really good shots on net,” said Klein of the 5-foot-8, 175-pounder. “He made a lot of smart plays.”

Other strong performances were turned in by freshman Andrei Hromic and sophomore center Daniel Rabin. Junior Aidan Doyal has also been a stalwart on the young squad.

Lake Forest tied the game at 1-1 at 9:31 in the first period, on a goal by Daniel Rabin, swooping in from the right side on a beautiful breakout pass from Corsiglia. Rabin split two Carmel forwards near the top of the right circle and fired a wrist shot into high net, just over the goalie’s
glove.

The Caxys, down 3-1 late in the game, came within a goal, 3-2, at 9:02 of the third period, on a shot by Jimmy Krzeminski. Krzeminski took a lead pass from Tommy Filip over the blue line, cut to the middle of the slot and fired a low shot across the goaltender’s body, into the far side of the net.

Klein said it was a “hard-working goal was started by the great head-man pass from Tommy Filip.”

Carmel put the game away at 1:09 in the third with a goal by forward Garrett Boehm on an assist by forward Matt Mrowiec. Lake Forest’s strongest hope for a tie game in the waning minutes came and went with two shots bouncing off the goal posts.

“We were in the last two minutes of the game,” said Klein. “Those go in instead of hitting the posts and we could have had a different outcome.”

The game was cleanly played with only three penalties, one against LFA in the second period for roughing, and two against Carmel, for holding in the second and slashing in the third.

LFA goalie William Kakavas made 23 saves in allowing five goals and Carmel goalie Ian Davies 27 saves, allowing two goals.

The Caxys finished their independent schedule with a 5-7 record in a season shortened by injuries and scheduling conflicts. Carmel’s varsity is 9-38 in the Illinois High School Hockey League entering the Black Hawk Cup competition on March 14.

Darrin Madeley, Lake Forest Academy’s director of hockey and coach of the school’s top level prep team, said two levels of boys hockey and one level of girls hockey (12-0 this season) at the school are built on speed and puck protection.

“I’m not looking for banging and hitting in the corners,” said Madeley, who enjoyed a long professional career as a goalie. “I’d rather be the team that hangs onto the puck and takes it into the zone with speed, and creates a lot of offense that way.”

Madeley said the hockey program runs on the merit system.

“When you come to play here, there are no politics. The kids who work the hardest are the ones who play,” Madeley said. “The kids with the best character and those who bring the most to the community are the ones who are in hockey.”