The Loyola club hockey team captured the MCHL playoffs championship with a 7-6 win over in-state rival Illinois State in the championship game Saturday in Danville, Ill.
What turned out to be a monumental night for Loyola hockey was almost the biggest choke job in Rambler history, as the team nearly blew a four-goal lead in the third period but scored two late goals to seal the victory.
"We basically gave them their second goal, and we basically gave them their third goal and their fourth goal and their fifth goal," sophomore captain Matt Ruggirello said. "I was angry because they didn't deserve to be within three or even four goals of us. It was just stupid mistakes by us and lack of effort and lack of concentration by us."
Loyola dominated the first two periods, heading into the second intermission with a commanding 5-1 lead.
"We were bigger, stronger and faster and overall dominated the game," said Mike Sofka, junior team president.
But ISU escaped Loyola's chokehold, and the Ramblers' cushy lead quickly disintegrated.
"We were smoking them at the end of the second period," Sofka said. "We went into the locker room after that, lost focus, got a little cocky, came out and gave up four goals."
After the stunning comeback, Loyola took control again when junior Jon Tlusty found the net with less than three minutes remaining.
Tlusty had a career game, scoring four of the Ramblers' seven goals, including the put-away seventh goal late in the game. Tlusty intercepted a pass at the ISU blue-line, deaked the keeper and slotted it home.
"[Tlusty] really stepped up," Sofka said. "He had some really clutch hits and some clutch goals."
Tlusty also had a potential fifth goal credited to one of his teammates.
"They gave the fifth goal to one of our defensemen, but Jon said it was his," Rugirello said. "We were joking in the locker room that he had four and a half goals."
This time, the Ramblers were able to hold on to their lead to clinch the title. Sofka hopes that the championship will help the program gain entrance into the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association, a higher level of competition than the Ramblers play now.
"We actually played a few teams from that league this season and played really well and showed what we have to offer," Sofka said. "I think it'll prove worthwhile when they come to bid on us, especially with the championhip in the MCHL."
Rugirello hopes that getting into the MACHA will take Loyola club hockey to a new level.
"Our league is not as official or well organized or well respected as this other league is," Rugirello said. "We just manhandled some of the teams in our league to the point where it wasn't even fun playing them because we would just destroy them."
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