With One Game Left to Play in the Regular Season, the Hockey Team Has Their Eyes on the (Enter)Prize
Assistant captains Jack Bystrom and Ben Parres pose for a photo on the diving board.
The push to the playoffs is in full swing for Westminster’s hockey team. After a tough start, the team has fought back to a 9-9-1 record. Only two games remain in the regular season, and both are against teams in the same division.
Going into the final weekend, the team is on a two-game win streak, defeating Fort Zumwalt East and Eureka 6-2 and 5-3 respectively.
The second to last game will be played Thursday the 23rd against Parkway South. The two teams played each other two weeks ago and the Wildcats took a 3-1 lead into the third period laid an egg in the third period, losing 4-3. This is a big revenge game and two huge possible points for the Wildcats to pick up. On top of all of this, it will be Senior Night, celebrating five seniors highlighted by assistant captains Jack Bystrom and Ben Parres.
The regular season closes the following day against Seckman. Historically, the games between the Wildcats and the Jaguars have always been close. Seckman plays a heavy game, which always is a test to a team with a small roster. The first game ended in a Seckman victory.
The next week will have a big say in how the Wildcats’ playoff run looks. Key pieces to the winning puzzle include freshman goaltender Emily Griege and senior forwards Bystrom and Parres. Griege has stepped into her first season and been a factor in every game she has played in, going 4-1 in her last five games.
Bystrom has been a catalyst on offense all year, never passing up a shot, no matter where he finds himself on the ice. He currently has a share of the team lead in goals, scoring 15 goals in 17 games. Senior Aiden Penberthy also has 15 goals. This total ranks him eighth in Midstates.
Sophomore Caleb Bross takes a shot during a regular season game.
Parres has been one of the team’s horses, playing hard game-in and game-out. After missing a few games due to the football season running late, he has 13 goals and 11 assists on a line with Bystrom.
It has been a better regular season than last year, but success is judged in the playoffs. This team has a serious shot at winning their third Wickenheiser Cup in the last four years, now it is time to go out and take it.
