HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY Canfield falls to Massillon Jackson 5-2

It was the final regular season game for the Cardinals.
By GREG GULAS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN -- Tom Schleichert had four goals and Massillon Jackson broke open a 2-2 game with three unanswered goals in the final 27 minutes, as the Polar Bears defeated Canfield High, 5-2, in a hockey game Sunday at The Ice Zone.
The win was the third in the last five games for Jackson (21-6-1). The Cardinals (7-13-1), playing their regular season finale, had their two-game winning streak end.
With tournament pairings upcoming, Canfield coach Joe Villano wasn't disappointed that the regular season ended.
"We really turned our season around four games ago," Villano said. "After a sluggish start, our guys made it a point to play every shift with renewed meaning. "It didn't matter if you were a star or a role player, each and every team member became more aggressive and put forth their best effort. That effort made it happen for us."
Jackson scores first
The Polar Bears took an early 1-0 advantage when Schleichert's first shot found the net at 2:45 of the opening period.
Canfield's Sam Crowe then scored the first of his two goals of the game, a power play opportunity at 9:21, to tie the score.
Schleichert's second score at 10:45 of the opening stanza gave Jackson a 2-1 lead.
"Tom Schleichert is a special player and much of his success is individual effort," Polar Bears coach Bill Houmard said.
Bench was difference
"We played well as a team overall despite the fact that we switched up our lines today," he added. "We had a deeper bench and weren't as tired as Canfield, even with intermissions."
Crowe's second goal of the game, also on a power play, at 11:42 of the second period tied the score again.
Jake Thomas registered an unassisted, short-handed goal just 2:18 later to give the Polar Bears the lead for good, 3-2.
Schleichert then added his final two goals of the game in the third period, the first at 3:11 and the final score at 12:39.
The Cardinals held a 24-22 shots on goal advantage. Dan Schleichert rejected 22 shots in goal for the Polar Bears.
Mooney-Ursuline 5, Boardman 3
Justin Umbs had a goal and three assists for Mooney-Ursuline (6-15-2), which needed just five shots on goal to build a 2-0 first period lead. The goals, scored by Allen Neher and Steve Graziani, were both on power plays.
Boardman's Bob Walla and Zack Skook then registered unassisted goals, Skook's a power play score at 1:05 of the second period, helping the Spartans forge a 2-2 tie.
Graziani added his second goal for Mooney-Ursuline, then Jim Pipoly scored for the Spartans at 11:33 of the second period to make it 3-3, but Jake Secich's goal at 12:53, with an assist from Umbs, gave Mooney-Ursuline the lead for good, 4-3.
Umbs' empty-net goal at 14:16 of the final period rounded out the scoring.
Boardman's record is 10-10-0.