York Hockey Stands Alone With Best League Record

Submitted by Jeff Redick

York Hockey Club’s junior varsity squad shook-up the hierarchy of the Illinois High School Hockey League West Division with an impressive win against Plainfield High School Hockey Club Dec. 7. The Dukes entered the game tied with Plainfield for first place in the West Division. Following the game, York stood alone with the best record in the league at 14-2-0.

The game began with hard fore checking and strong defense by both teams. The two league leaders were able to limit one another’s offensive opportunities through the mid point of the first period. Then, York broke through when sophomore Trevor Corsello carried the puck into the Plainfield zone and put a shot on net.  Freshman Elliott Fafinski fought for the puck and passed it across the goal mouth to an open Scott Blair, freshman, who buried the puck in the home team’s net for the first goal of the game.

Corsello registered the second goal when he skated the puck behind the Plainfield goal and delivered a strong wrap-around shot that beat the goalie to give York a 2-0 lead.

Plainfield came out energized in the third period. The home team took the opening face-off and scored less than a minute into the final period to cut the Dukes lead in half.

York came back to take control of the game when freshman Nick Lee passed the puck to Jack Redick, freshman, in the high slot.  The Dukes scored to go up 3-1 when the Plainfield goalie could not catch-up to Redick’s wrist shot.

In a desperate effort to try to create an offensive spark, Plainfield pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 1:15 left in the game and a face-off in the Dukes end.  Sophomore Ryan Pedote won the face-off for York.  Freshman Michael Rouzer gained control of the puck and passed it to Hayley Winker who fed Redick with a pass in the neutral zone.  Redick delivered the final blow to Plainfield as his shot from just past mid-ice found the back of the net to give York the 4-1 victory.

Junior goalie Liam McFarlane made 17 saves for York to earn the victory.

York returns to league play at 7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Addison Ice Arena.