Trojans’ Opfer walls off goal

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CRYSTAL LAKE – Cary-Grove goalie Kevin Opfer might as well have been a brick wall in the Trojans’ 4-0 victory against the Guerin/Nazareth Gators on Saturday at Crystal Ice House.

Opfer, a junior, stood outside the Trojans’ locker room, breathing heavily from the excitement – and fatigue.

“I was focused and was in the game mentally tonight,” Opfer said. “I’ve had a few [shutouts] before, but not like that.”

Not only was Opfer focused, but he and his C-G teammates shut down 18 minutes of Guerin power play time. 

The Gators finished 0 for 9 with the man advantage. Opfer finished with 26 saves.

Outside of the locker room, Opfer received a loud round of applause from several dozen friends, family and fans.

When asked if they had ever seen a high school goalie earn a shutout while also stopping nine  power plays, C-G coach Anthony Sode was quick to answer.

“No, I haven’t,” Sode said. “We were struggling at the beginning of the season, but we’re healthy now and all of our lines are together and playing really well.”

The Trojans (7-9-2) first struck with 8:09 to play in the second period when junior Thomas Wahl scored his first of two goals on the night less than 30 seconds after C-G killed off Guerin’s sixth power play of the game.  

Wahl struck again less than two minutes into the third, thanks to a pretty feed from Jack Segerson (three assists), making it 2-0.

Despite tallying 15 shots on goal against the Trojans in the second, the Gators could only manage six shots during the third.

“I felt like we were wearing them down a lot as the game went on,” Segerson said.

Senior Matthew Panko and junior Mike D’Agostino also scored goals for the Trojans.