Additional motivation wasn’t necessary for Anthony Yacovone. All the incentive the Holy Cross senior needed was in the other locker room at World Ice Arena.
“I didn’t want to graduate without beating Prep my senior year,” he said.
Yacovone accomplished his goal, scoring two goals and setting up three others to lead Holy Cross to a 7-5 win over rival St. Francis Prep Monday night. The victory moves the defending CHSHL Class B champions one step closer to clinching a playoff berth.
“I told the guys before the game this is pretty much a playoff game,” Holy Cross coach Kevin Goodspeed said. “We were counted out early in the year because we started out real slow, but the kids played well. We’ve got a lot of talented seniors on this team and they stepped up today.”
With one game left in the regular season, Holy Cross (8-4-3) moved into sole possession of third place, two points in front of St. Francis Prep. Xavier is in fifth place with 14 points, three behind the Terriers. The top four teams advance to the postseason and St. Joseph by the Sea and St. Edmund Prep have already clinched berths.
A win against Xavier in a rematch of last year’s ‘B’ championship series Sunday would allow Holy Cross to defend their crown, which coincidently was on display at World Ice Arena Monday as Holy Cross assistant athletic director Tim Gilvary handed the trophy off to CHSHL commissioner Frank Dunn.
“It’s motivation,” said Holy Cross senior James Bowerman, who had a goal and two assists. “They’re taking it back now, but we want it back again for next year.”
Holy Cross fell behind 1-0 and 2-1, but scored four straight goals to take a commanding 5-2 lead on Alan Mook’s first of two goals 1:20 into the third period.
Mook nearly missed the game because of a busted skate blade.
“Last week in practice, I wiped out pretty bad and I guess I broke my skate, but I didn’t notice it,” he said.
Thanks to a hat trick by freshman Aaron Acosta and two more goals by Patrick Schule, St. Francis Prep (8-5-1) rallied to get within a goal with 5:10 left. But Mook sealed the win two minutes later.
“It was a great pass from James Bowerman and I just saw the open net and put it in,” Mook said.
The Terriers also have one regular season game remaining, against Xaverian next Monday. A win against Holy Cross, though, would have booked their playoff ticket.
“It’s a lost opportunity,” St. Francis Prep coach Mike Watts said. “Technically we still have a chance at third place, but it all depends.”