Local Sports from The Courier

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Prep Hockey: FHS rings Liberty's bell

WORTHINGTON -- Noah Hindall's second score of the game, a power-play goal four minutes into the third period, gave Findlay High School's hockey team a 4-1 lead and the Trojans held off Olentangy Liberty 5-3 on Monday in the Martin Luther King Holiday Classic at the Chiller North Ice Arena in Worthington.

Findlay went 3-1 in the tournament to claim runner-up honors. Olentangy Orange, which beat Findlay 2-1 on Sunday, took home the championship trophy.

Andy Martin assisted on Conner Curlis's goal in the first period and Matt Atkins' goal 30 seconds into the second.

Hindall, on an assist from Curlis, made it 3-1 two minutes into the second period, and scored again when he took a pass from Mason Williams and converted on a power play 4:04 into the third.

"We established a strong fore-check in the first period and maintained that throughout the game," said FHS coach Joe Longo.

"That allowed us to create a lot of pressure and traffic in front of the net. All five of our goals were scored within two feet of the crease."

Olentangy Liberty, ranked No. 7 in the state poll, cut the deficit to 4-3 with 1:46 to play. But Ethan Willis answered right back for Findlay to wrap it up.

FHS goalie Alex Woolley stopped 29 of 32 shots for the Trojans, who face Toledo St. Francis Friday at Tam-O-Shanter Arena in Sylvania and host No. 8-ranked Gates Mills Gilmour Academy Saturday at The Cube.

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