Northview upsets St. John's in district hockey final

St. John's Jesuit's Ryan Rafac (4) battles Northview's Ian Clement (26) for control of the puck during the third period.

Northview defeated St. John's Jesuit for the third straight year in the district hockey championship tonight as the Wildcats upended the Titans 4-2 in the title game.

The Titans scored the game's first two goals before a standing-room-only crowd at Tam-O-Shanter. But Northview responded with four unanswered goals, including three in the third period.

Senior Jacob Koback scored the game winner with 6:39 left in the game. Koback then added some cushion with a power play goal just 39 seconds later.

Northview junior Zack Galecki tied the game at 2 with an unassisted goal on a solo breakaway 1:53 into the third period.

Wildcats senior goalie David Marsh stopped 23 shots, including 10 in the second period where he was the difference in the game.

Caleb Rau got the Wildcats on the board with a second-period goal.

Northview (16-13-1) advances to the state semifinals for the third straight season. The Wildcats won it all in 2012 and finished second last season.

St. John's (22-8-5) came in to the game ranked No. 2 in the state. But for the fourth straight season the Titans saw their season end in the district title game.

St. John's senior Nate Miller scored 4:11 into the game. Then just 30 seconds later freshman Alex Bigelow gave the Titans' a 2-0 lead.

Senior goalie Mike Barrett (17-8-5) finished with 16 saves.