Bishop Ryan Celtics Stage Epic Comeback, Securing 3-2 Victory Over Newman Cardinals
It was a come-from-behind victory by the Bishop Ryan Celtics and one player handled all their scoring.
Down 2-0 to the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals at Valley Park Arena Wednesday, Bishop Ryan rallied for a 3-2 win thanks to a hat trick by left winger Ben Fox.
The outcome improves BR’s record in Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic boys’ high school hockey to 2-0-1. Newman, through five starts, is still looking for its first point in the standings.
Fox chipped the puck, pounced on it in the low slot and snapped in the deciding marker with five minutes, 23 seconds left in the third period.
Earlier in the third, he cut in from the wing on the rush to backhand a shot into the short side of the net to tie the contest. That followed his goal late in the first period which came on a high, sharp-angle shot to the glove side.
Colton VanderElzen and his brother, Zachary, each assisted on BR’s final two goals.
“Ben has tons of speed,” Celtics coach Justin Cannon said. “He opens up the ice for everybody else around him.
“He found the holes and went to the net. Sometimes, it not what he does but it what he does behind the scene. He finds open holes and spaces. He creates chances.”
The Celtics are two-time defending champions – last year helped by Rookie of the Year Fox and the year before with Fox’s brother, Lucas, in the lineup.
The scoring outburst against Newman was the first three-goal game by Fox in high school competition. He also plays for the AA Glancaster Bombers.
“Teamwork,” he said of the latest BR outing. “We didn’t give up. We stayed focused and kept working hard.”
Newman goals went to Dom Fidanza – a 1-on-4 rush – and Francesco Sanita.
“We came out strong,” Cardinals coach Matt Pritchard said. “Bishop Ryan had a good comeback. They are back-to-back champions, so I guess they are the team to beat right now.”
Despite his team’s record, Pritchard says Newman has been playing well enough to win on most occasions. “The bounces haven’t been going our way,” he said. “Hopefully Santa is good to us and we’ve got a win coming up after the break.”
The BR players were advised that the Cardinals would be “hungry” after their 0-4 start.
“I don’t think Newman’s record is reflective of their actual team,” the Celtics coach said. “We knew they would come out strong and they did. They jumped out to a quick lead. I give them all the credit in the world for that. Then we started playing our game.
“If we get behind like that in too many games, though, we’re not going to come back too often. It’s something you don’t want to do.”
In the girls’ half of the doubleheader, Newman and BR skated to a 2-2 final.
Photos by Richard Andoga
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