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Wednesday - April 7, 2004
GAME RECAPS
Haga Leads Palatine Past McHenry 12-9
By Aaron Brown
McHenry, IL -- Jon Haga did
everything he could to get Palatine a road victory over McHenry on
Wednesday night. And while he is widely known as a tremendous offensive
player, it was his defense that made the defense in a 12-9 win over the
Warriors.
Haga scored seven goals,
including the first three of the game, but he held McHenry's hole set Drew
Schneider to only five goals to help Palatine improve to 6-2 on the
season. The matchup could be a preview of the Barrington sectional at the
end of the season, where the two teams are likely to be seeded first and
second out of seven teams.
Palatine got off to a great
start, as Haga hit a backhand from two meters in the first minute to put
them up 1-0. Midway through the opening period, he scored on a sweep shot
from two meters. Meanwhile, Pirates goalie Kyle Finnegan made five saves
to hold the Warriors scoreless in the first quarter.
Haga kept the momentum in
Palatine's favor in the second quarter, as he elevated to catch a pass at
four meters and fired directly into the left corner to make it 3-0.
Schneider finally put McHenry on the board with a two meter swwep shot
with 6:26 left in the half to make it 3-1. The Pirates responded, with
Kyle Sorenson skipping a shot from the point past MCHenry goalkeeper Shane
Schultz to make the score 4-1. The Warriors would cut the lead in half on
a powerplay goal, but Sorenson scored again from the point and the Pirates
added another goal on their next possession to make the advantage 6-2.
Without much going for them,
the Warriors surged to close the half, scoring three goals in under two
minutes. Schneider hit the right corner of the goal with an unbelievable
no-look shot over his shoulder from two meters to make the score 6-3, then
recorded a powerplay assist to make it 6-4 with 1:43 remaining. In the
final minute, Schneider drew an ejection on Haga, then scored on a shot
from the point to narrow the gap to 6-5 at halftime.
McHenry kept the heat on
Palatine in the third quarter, scoring two quick goals to take their first
lead of the game at 7-6. After Schneider's go-ahead sweep shot from the
left wing, Haga tied it again at 7-7 by tipping a pass from Sorenson into
the net with 4:01 to go in the third period. Haga scored the next two
goals, putting a sweep shot from the right wing past Schultz and then
hitting the left corner from the point to make it 9-7. In the final minute
of the quarter, Scneider tossed a shot over his head and into the net to
make it 9-8.
Palatine dominated the fourth
quarter, stretching a one-goal lead to a 12-8 advantage with only 3:05
remaining in the game. Haga scored his seventh goal on a drive to make it
10-8, and Sorenson scored a powerplay goal and on an unassisted breakaway
to provide the Pirates with a comfortable lead. McHenry was only able to
score once more to cut the advantage down to 12-9 with 2:03 to go, but
that was as close as the Warriors would get.
Haga led the way with seven
goals, while Sorenson contributed four scores in the win. Goalie Kyle
Finnegan made nine saves for the Pirates.
Schneider tallied five goals
to lead McHenry. Warriors' goalie Shane Schultz made 17 saves and added
three steals and two assists.
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