After defeating the Korah Colts in the best of three semi final series in two games, the Superior Heights Steelhawks opened 2023 Sault Ste Marie High School Hockey League City Championships against the St Mary’s Knights in a standing room only crowd at the John Rhodes Centre on Sunday, February 19th in the best of five series.
At 10:12 of the opening period, Knight forward Jack McPherson found the back of Superior Heights netminder Tyler Greco net unassisted to give St Mary’s a 1 – 0 lead. Scoring his second of the contest, McPherson gives the Knights a two goal lead at 4:26 of the first with Nathan Palmer adding the lone contributor on McPherson’s goal. Nathan Palmer sinks St Mary’s second unassisted goal behind Steelhawk netminder Greco at 5:30 of the second to bring the lead to 3 – 0. Carter Lidstone increase the lead to 4 – 0 at the 3:30 mark of the period with the Knights fourth. Adrian O’Dell and Brayden Luzzi sets up Lidstone’s goal. Darion Perrault finds the back of Superior Heights net at 1:07 of the period with Carmine Perna registering the assist on Perrault’s goal. With 34 seconds remaining in the period, Perna sends St Mary’s into second intermission up 6 – 0 with Gabe Zimbaro and McPherson drawing the helpers on the Knights sixth of the game. 72 seconds into the final period, Perna registers third point of the game with an unassisted to give St Mary’s a 7 – 0 lead. At 4:48, Lidstone nets the Knights third unassisted goal of the contest to bring the lead to 8 – o for St Mary’s. Registering a hat trick in game one of the city finals, Perna finds the back of Greco’s net to give the Knights a 9 – 0 lead with Darion Pucci and Koen Kurylo adding the contributors on Perna’s hat trick. With 87 seconds remaining in game one, Steelhawk Liam Willet finds the back of St Mary’s goaltender Jaxon Alexander’s net for the lone goal for Superior Heights with Owen Case contributing on Willet’s goal.
Game two of the 2023 city final will take place at the John Rhodes Centre on Tuesday, February 21st in a 3:30 p.m puck drop.
