COLUMBUS — University took its time coming out for the start of the third period March 11 in a state semifinal against Sylvania Northview at Nationwide Arena.
The Preppers had good reason to savor every moment in Columbus after being away for four years.
Now? As far as US is concerned, it’s time to finish the job.
Sam Wade, Anthony Messina and Samonte Martin lit the lamp through the second and early third to blow the game open, Noah Caballero recorded a 33-save shutout and the Preppers turned in a poised, clean performance for a 4-0 win.
US (29-8-1) will aim for its third state title all-time in hockey and first since 2009 at noon March 12 against Olentangy Liberty, a 4-3 winner over St. Ignatius in the other semifinal. It will be its first state final appearance since 2016.
#NHhockey Junior forward Sam Wade discusses a poised US performance in a 4-0 state semifinal win over Northview, amid which he had 2 goals including the opener
(Yes, they had them at the Ice Haus again during the frozen 4 – I'll bite my tongue on that subject lol) pic.twitter.com/bRy7FfUGBd— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) March 11, 2023
In their fourth encounter with Northview this season, the Preppers registered their sharpest performance of the four. And what a time for it.
“It’s never easy to keep beating good teams, like Northview is,” US coach Andy Gerow said. “We’ve been put in that situation a couple times this year back home with Shaker Heights and Gilmour Academy. We played them in the regular season, beat them, then played them in the playoffs and beat them for a third or fourth time.
“This is another example of that, and they’re a really good team. It’s not easy, but we stuck to our gameplan and watched film. Credit to these guys. They’re the ones who put in the work and continue to come every day with that edge to get even better.”
#NHhockey US coach Andy Gerow discusses instilling the message of what state is like on a new group via himself, assistants Evan Krueger & Gabe Taxman – AND, a special assist from all-time NH area/US great Elliot Taxman pic.twitter.com/1bPPpUGlKY
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) March 11, 2023
Caballero was hopeful to pick his team up and did so in spades, including a 17-save third period and nice turnaways on Landon Elliott at 1:59 of the second and 2:07 of the third as part of that quality work.
“(Gerow) made sure we were all calm and focused,” Caballero said. “It didn’t matter where we played, whether it was at (the Sylvania Tam O’Shanter), Cleveland Heights or if it was at Nationwide. We play the same, and we are always like that. So he told us to maintain that, and obviously we were able to come through with that and play really calm and collected.”
US took a 2-0 edge out of the second period.
The Preppers went on the power play after a highsticking penalty. The cycle was patient and strong throughout the man advantage. Luke Palmer grabbed control behind the net and hit Wade with a tapper at the right bar.
Wade put away a tight wrister, his 29th goal of the winter, for a 1-0 lead.
Messina contributed a massive tally before intermission at 13:57, as the junior forward and teammates skated jubilantly toward the US student section.
#NHhockey US senior captain Kellen McGarry discusses taking good, deep puck carry from the 1st into goals in the 2nd pic.twitter.com/g2c9FqHW7g
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) March 11, 2023
Then at 2:15 of the third, Martin generated a turnover around his own blue line and walked in on a breakaway for a well-placed wrister five-hole to open up a 3-0 cushion. It was the senior’s 19th goal of the winter, compensating for what he candidly shared was a frustrating breakaway stymie at 10:45 of the first after blocking a shot by Northview’s C.J. Lehman.
“I had a breakaway earlier in the game,” Martin said. “I don’t know — when I got down, I just felt like shooting high blocker. We’ve been talking about it the last day, talking about (Northview goaltender Austin Nowak’s) weak spots because we know he is a good goalie.
“I was really mad at myself. I missed that opportunity. So I promised myself, if I got another chance at a breakaway, I would definitely bury it.”
Wade added an empty-netter with 1:11 left for the final margin. With the pair of tallies, he is now the 13th News-Herald coverage area player all-time to record two goals or more in the frozen four.
Caballero was brilliant, especially in the third, after a 6-3 Kent District final win over Walsh Jesuit which he admitted was not his sharpest night.
“His growth has just been absolutely exponential,” US senior captain Kellen McGarry said of Caballero. “The focus that he has — he has his own routine every game, and he’s been building that throughout the whole year. And I think that has been crucial to his game is just keeping that same routine.”
#NHhockey US senior defenseman Will Genovese discusses the in-season development of goaltender Noah Caballero, who logged a 33-save shutout
(Kellen had strong insight on this topic as well, but used that in my story instead) pic.twitter.com/g8k4GkLW4K— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) March 11, 2023
The frozen four is routine for US as a program with 16 trips to state, but not for this squad, all first-timers on the big ice at Nationwide. In addition to the state insight on staff between Gerow and assistants Evan Krueger and Gabe Taxman, Gerow brought back Preppers’ and News-Herald coverage area all-time great forward Elliot Taxman to also speak with the team.
Taxman made three frozen four appearances and won a state title in 2003 and was also an assistant for the 2009 US title run.
“The main thing that I took from it is that we play for one another,” Caballero said. “It’s a team sport and it’s not an individual sport. So we knew to go out there, and you look left and look right, and you look at your brothers and you play for them. And that’s really what motivated us today.”
Now it’s time for one last piece of business, and motivation assuredly won’t be lacking for that.
“Oh, it’s crazy,” Caballero said with a smile. “It is surreal honestly. The experience is surreal. I just can’t believe that I’m here playing for a state championship tomorrow.
“Honestly, going into this game, I had no doubt that we were going to make it. But actually being here now and realizing my last game this year is going to be at Nationwide Arena playing for that state championship, it’s huge. It means the world to me and my team.”
#NHhockey US is introduced pregame before its state semi vs Northview
(Always figure, with kids on the scoreboard/moment, even though it's from way above it's worth recording/tweeting) pic.twitter.com/Vxsk8ivubb— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) March 11, 2023
