Power-play goals take wind from South’s sails

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BENSENVILLE – Kenny Hall’s goal late in the first period not only gave Crystal Lake South a one-goal lead on York, but something more important.

Hope.

The Gators, who took an 8-1 beating from York last month, were inspired and believed they could stick with the Dukes.

“We thought, ‘Hey, we’ve got a chance here, don’t let them get back in it,’ ” Gators defenseman Max Hamrick said. “Obviously, that’s not how it worked out.”

A few minutes into the second period, the whole complexion of the game changed.

York grabbed momentum with a pair of power-play goals early in the period and went on to defeat the Gators, 7-3, in their AHAI Blackhawk Cup Red Division State Tournament game Saturday at The Edge in Bensenville.

“Penalties killed us,” said goalie Eric Bartos, who had 34 saves. “When you have people in [the penalty box] as long as we did, it wears and tears on the defense. It gave them an edge and then our defense was tired.”

The No. 9-seeded Dukes (37-13-7) added a short-handed goal for a 4-2 lead in the second, and South defenseman Will Davies gave the Gators another glimmer of hope with a late second-period goal to make it 4-3.

York added three more in the third and will meet top-seeded New Trier Green at 8:35 p.m. Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

“Eric [Bartos] played probably his best game of the season,” South coach Rich Perillo said. “He was phenomenal. I thought we played well for the first two periods and half of the third. Special teams all game was the key.”

The Gators (40-16-3) will lose four seniors – Bartos, Hamrick, Mark Greenberg and Chris Hollich – to graduation. Perillo said his goalies, Bartos and Ben Allison, have been equal this season, but he went with the senior for his experience.

“Personally, I just wanted to not let my team down,” Bartos said. “I wanted to leave my best on the ice, and I think I did that today.”

South finished second in the Chicago Metro Hockey League Central Division this season, and Perillo and junior varsity coach Wayne Bower were named Metro Central Coach of the Year for their respective levels.

“It’s a great season for Crystal Lake South,” Perillo said. “We didn’t finish the way we wanted, but it was a great year and we have a lot to be proud of.”

Joey Bower, Hall and Davies scored goals.

Greenberg, Hall, Brian Lichterman and Scottie Stalo had assists for the eighth-seeded Gators.

“It was a good season, but I don’t think we accomplished everything we wanted to,” Hamrick said. “It was a great team though, and it was a lot of fun.”