ISHL hockey: Decisive Cougar Cup game awaits Hawks

The Fox Valley Hawks appeared anything but tense in preparing to make their boys hockey buzz alongside the past and future.

A banner season helped produce a record turnout for this week’s spring evaluations at Fox Valley Ice Arena, but the horn still hasn’t sounded on 2015-16.

At 3 p.m. today, the Hawks will face the DuPage Stars in the deciding Game 3 of the Illinois Suburban Hockey League Cougar Cup finals at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville. As usual, the locker room of athletes from St. Charles East, St. Charles North, Batavia, Geneva and Kaneland shared a comfortable sense of urgency.

“It’s amazing. This is what we live for as hockey players,” said Jake Hummel, a junior forward from Kaneland. “I think playoff hockey, you can’t beat it.”

Two weeks after bowing out of the Blackhawk Cup Varsity Combined Division state tournament, the Hawks still are in contention for supremacy in their league.

DuPage, composed of players from Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, Hinsdale South and Lisle, defeated Fox Valley in three of four regular-season meetings, but the Hawks made that moot with an 8-2 victory in the Cougar Cup finals opener.

Close games have remained the norm between the amalgamated clubs this season.

“We’ve just got to come out hard,” said forward Morgan York, a St. Charles East student. “We’ve been practicing, working really hard. We’re ready for this.”

The Stars rebounded from their series-opening loss at Fox Valley Ice Arena with Sunday’s 7-4 home win at the Darien Sportsplex. The Hawks seized their only lead early in the third period before the Stars quickly stormed back, tying the game and regaining the advantage in less than a minute.

A transition game that has boosted the Hawks throughout the season suddenly sputtered in the team’s comeback bid, but the lapse hasn’t sent anyone panicking or scrambling.

“We’re not going to change anything we’re doing,” Hawks coach Phil Gabrielsen said. “We know some of the mistakes we made on Sunday are fixable. DuPage is a great team, you know. We’re a great team. … This is what everybody writes hockey stories about, is two big teams going to a Game 3. Neither team has won on the other team’s ice. Now we get a neutral site. So yeah, why fix it if it isn’t broke? I mean, we’ve just got to keep doing what got us here and what made our record what it is this year.”

One key to that formula is applying forecheck pressure to fuel transition opportunities.

“Speed and getting those turnovers real quick,” York said. “And getting on that goalie, making sure he’s scared.”

Gabrielsen preached that forwards and defensemen play smart and fast at both ends of the ice to limit chances against Hawks goaltender Aaron Karkos (Batavia).

Stars forward John McCarthy possesses plenty of speed of his own, and the Hawks remain mindful.

“We’ve always got to make sure when he’s coming down in the neutral zone, we’ve got to watch him,” defenseman Brian Bracken of Geneva said.

Make no mistake, the Hawks know the rest of the Stars’ tendencies, too.

That’s one of the many benefits of a long and fruitful hockey season.

“I think it’s awesome. … We just keep going on,” York said. “The seniors get to enjoy a little more with us.”

The Fox Valley Hawks appeared anything but tense in preparing to make their boys hockey buzz alongside the past and future.

A banner season helped produce a record turnout for this week’s spring evaluations at Fox Valley Ice Arena, but the horn still hasn’t sounded on 2015-16.

At 3 p.m. today, the Hawks will face the DuPage Stars in the deciding Game 3 of the Illinois Suburban Hockey League Cougar Cup finals at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville. As usual, the locker room of athletes from St. Charles East, St. Charles North, Batavia, Geneva and Kaneland shared a comfortable sense of urgency.

“It’s amazing. This is what we live for as hockey players,” said Jake Hummel, a junior forward from Kaneland. “I think playoff hockey, you can’t beat it.”

Two weeks after bowing out of the Blackhawk Cup Varsity Combined Division state tournament, the Hawks still are in contention for supremacy in their league.

DuPage, composed of players from Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, Hinsdale South and Lisle, defeated Fox Valley in three of four regular-season meetings, but the Hawks made that moot with an 8-2 victory in the Cougar Cup finals opener.

Close games have remained the norm between the amalgamated clubs this season.

“We’ve just got to come out hard,” said forward Morgan York, a St. Charles East student. “We’ve been practicing, working really hard. We’re ready for this.”

The Stars rebounded from their series-opening loss at Fox Valley Ice Arena with Sunday’s 7-4 home win at the Darien Sportsplex. The Hawks seized their only lead early in the third period before the Stars quickly stormed back, tying the game and regaining the advantage in less than a minute.

A transition game that has boosted the Hawks throughout the season suddenly sputtered in the team’s comeback bid, but the lapse hasn’t sent anyone panicking or scrambling.

“We’re not going to change anything we’re doing,” Hawks coach Phil Gabrielsen said. “We know some of the mistakes we made on Sunday are fixable. DuPage is a great team, you know. We’re a great team. … This is what everybody writes hockey stories about, is two big teams going to a Game 3. Neither team has won on the other team’s ice. Now we get a neutral site. So yeah, why fix it if it isn’t broke? I mean, we’ve just got to keep doing what got us here and what made our record what it is this year.”

One key to that formula is applying forecheck pressure to fuel transition opportunities.

“Speed and getting those turnovers real quick,” York said. “And getting on that goalie, making sure he’s scared.”

Gabrielsen preached that forwards and defensemen play smart and fast at both ends of the ice to limit chances against Hawks goaltender Aaron Karkos (Batavia).

Stars forward John McCarthy possesses plenty of speed of his own, and the Hawks remain mindful.

“We’ve always got to make sure when he’s coming down in the neutral zone, we’ve got to watch him,” defenseman Brian Bracken of Geneva said.

Make no mistake, the Hawks know the rest of the Stars’ tendencies, too.

That’s one of the many benefits of a long and fruitful hockey season.

“I think it’s awesome. … We just keep going on,” York said. “The seniors get to enjoy a little more with us.”