Mustangs heading to OFSAA
The Saint Michael Mustangs boys hockey team is heading back to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations AAA championships for the first time since 2019.
Competing at the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association championships Tuesday at Hamilton, the Mustangs defeated Ancaster 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals and then recorded a 5-1 victory over the A.N. Myer Marauders in the championship game.
Against Ancaster, Vincent Cuviello and Lucas Nalenzinski scored in regulation time before Eric Steinbachs won it early in overtime, completing a nice three-way passing play from Nalenzinski and Angelo Butera.
“He made a beautiful spinnerama goal,” coach Paul Di Francesco said.
Ethan Pepperall netted a pair of goals in the championship game and singles were netted by Butera, Nalenzinski and Anthony Covelli.
Saint Michael advanced to SOSSA by defeating Notre Dame 7-1 in the Niagara Catholic Athletic Association semifinals and Blessed Trinity 5-2 in the championship game.
Di Francesco attributes the team’s success to it being a close-knit group of guys.
“We are a very young team with good leadership and you can tell when the boys come to the rink that they love hanging out together and being young guys together.”
The majority of the roster is Grade 9s, 10s and 11s with a few Grade 12s.
“On paper, this is one of better teams that I have coached,” he said. “We are a fast, puck-moving team.”
The Mustangs are heading to OFSAA for the sixth time with the highlight being a silver medal in 2010 following an overtime loss.
“The rest of the time we have played for a bronze medal and we have lost two or three times in the quarter-finals,” Di Francesco said. “Relatively in this area, I think we are one of the more successful hockey programs, for sure.”
Saint Michael is aiming high at OFSAA.
“We are hoping to compete for a medal. It will take good goaltending which we have been getting from Luke Waters and timely scoring.”
Saint Michael has struggled at times this season putting the puck in the net.
“Because of their youthfulness, sometimes the pressure gets to them. The turning point this season came when the boys started believing that they can be good and can score goals.”
Members of the team, coached by Frank Pietrangelo, Di Francesco, Greg Kelly and John Carmichael, are Tommy Dallman, Nalenzinski, Jacob Shannon, William Zanutto, David Nowak, Pepperall, Keegan Masterson, Michael Peters, Preston Campbell, Covelli, Matthew Natale, Dakota Johnstone, Cuviello, Cam McDonald, Andre Rjabokons, Butera, Steinbachs, Austin MacRae, Waters, Ford Merritt and Aiden Smith.
