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Published: 2/23/2012 - Updated: 2 months ago

SIDELINES: HOCKEY

St. John's hockey strikes right balance

Sixth-ranked Titans have plenty of scoring options

BY MARK MONROE
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

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The St. John's Jesuit hockey team has shared the wealth this season with offensive output and defensive dominance coming in equal proportions.

The balanced Titans, ranked sixth in the final state coaches poll, enter the district this weekend with a 23-9-1 record.

Nine Titans players have compiled 20 or more points so far this season, and five skaters have scored 10 or more goals.

Coach Mike Hayes said his team is highly skilled and deep.

"We don't have to rely on one guy," he said. "Typically everyone contributes."

Junior forward Austin Kelly leads the team in goals scored with 30, in assists with 26, and in scoring with 56 points.

"It doesn't matter who scores. We're all one team," Kelly said. "It helps that it's not just one person scoring like last year. This year it is more spread out and that helps out a lot. If someone doesn't have a good game then the other person is there to carry the load. It has been like that all year. Different people fill their roles from freshmen to seniors."

Senior defenseman Danny St. John is the anchor along the blue line. St. John has 16 assists and has scored seven goals.

"Everyone is putting the puck in the net," St. John said. "It's great to have so many good scorers. Anybody can score at anytime. Everyone can have an off day sometimes. Our team is so deep and talented, other people step up and carry the load."

Two Titans goaltenders also have shared the load. Mike Barrett and Jake Butler have split time nearly equally in net. Hayes said he is very comfortable starting both.

"I feel we can win with either one of them," he said.

Barrett, a sophomore, has an 11-4-1 record with a 1.42 goals-against average. Hayes called Barrett the best goalie in the area "when he's on his game."

Butler, a senior, is 13-5-0 with a 2.09 GAA.

"He's had a good year and has been very good in some tight games," Hayes said.

St. John said it gives him and his fellow defensemen peace of mind to have two quality goaltenders.

"We have two goalies that can stop anyone," St. John said. "We give them good competition in practice. They come to play every game. I try to do my job to stop the pass and if our goalie is stopping the puck, everything is perfect."

Forward Nate Bigelow, who has 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points, is one of nine seniors.

"We're all close. If one person is having a bad day, there is always someone there to help out and fill that role," Bigelow said. "There are 20 others that can get the job done. We have nine seniors that can play hockey and the underclassmen bring it every single day."

Hayes said the last two years his team has counted on one or two players to carry the torch offensively.

"If they didn't put out, we were in trouble," he said.

He said this season it can be one of seven to nine guys that can be the difference maker.

The team also features a nice balance of upper and lower classes, he said.

"It's a good mix of guys," Hayes said.

Junior forward Colin Suter ranks second on the team with 37 points. Suter has scored 14 goals to go along with 23 assists.

Junior forward Jimmy Scott has 26 points with 16 goals and 10 assists.

Freshman forward Ian Rapp also has chipped in significantly with 24 points (eight goals and 16 assists).

Sophomore forward Joe Sofo has tallied 12 goals and dished out 11 assists.

Hayes also said his defensemen have chipped in on offense.

Junior defenseman Ryan Rapp has 18 assists and five goals, while sophomore defenseman Ben Hamilton has 17 assists and three goals.

Senior forward Joe Wurst (9 G, 8 A), senior forward Devin Hayes (6 G, 8 A), the coach's nephew, and sophomore forward Caleb Hauenstein (5 G, 7 A) also have contributed.

Kelly notched five goals in a 10-0 win of Whitmer in the sectional final.

"My teammates set me up and I get the chances and finish," Kelly said.

Hayes said his team must not look past St. Francis de Sales in Saturday's district semifinals. The Titans have defeated the defending state champs twice (7-1 and 3-2).

"They have a lot of pride and they won't go down easy," Hayes said. "We have to play our best hockey."

If the Titans get past the Knights, they likely will advance to face Northview in the final.

Northview won the Northwest Hockey Conference Red Division regular-season and tournament titles, defeating St. John's (5-1-2) three times.

St. John's knocked the Wildcats out of the playoffs last season with a 5-2 win in the district semifinal.

"It's two good teams and I hope if we play them we will be playing our best hockey," Mike Hayes said.

Northview was ranked second in the final state poll and the Wildcats were state runners-up in 2010.

In 2007, the Titans defeated Parma Padua Franciscan 6-4 to capture the first state title for the Toledo metro area -- ending a drought of 29 years.

"We have to be on board and sacrifice for each other [to return to Columbus]," Bigelow said. "We have to go as hard as we can for the rest of the year. We have to focus. We need to give 100 percent and play together as a team."

In 2009, the Titans made it back but finished second. Hayes, who is in his ninth season and has a 203-87-21 career record, would like nothing more than a return trip to Nationwide Arena.

"The guys are excited for the opportunity," he said. "It's not easy to make it there but the sacrifices are well worth it in the end."

Contact Mark Monroe at: mmonroe@theblade.com, 419-724-6354 or on Twitter @MonroeBlade.

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