WINNETKA – As with any long-time rivals, Loyola Gold and New Trier Green know plenty about one another.
This year might be a bit different, if you listen to the men behind the respective benches.
Loyola typically boasts a strong defense, but Head Coach D.J. LaVarre says it’s his offense stepping up in 2013. On the flip side, New Trier’s Bob Melton suggests his defense is tighter and stingier than in year’s past, making for a more balanced attack.
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The rivalry will be renewed Saturday at the Winnetka Ice Arena in a game that will be shown on CN100, The Comcast Network, at Noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, and at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16 and Tuesday, Dec. 17. You can also find the game throughout Chicagoland with Xfinity On Demand.
New Trier Green comes into the contest fresh off a win at Loyola’s Thanksgiving tournament and boasts an overall record of 21-3-1 (as of Dec. 11). Melton’s squad entered the week with an 11-game unbeaten streak, and had a pair of games on tap before Saturday’s showdown with Loyola.
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“This year, I think we have a lot of balance. Defense is a little bit of our stronger suit, more so than in years past,” Melton said in an interview with CN100. “We put a lot more energy into back checking from our forwards.”
Melton’s team returns six players and both goaltenders from the 2012/13 squad, which has helped bolster Green’s defense. Anchoring the blue line are juniors Jack Dolby and Graham Soman. Although the scoring can come from any of his lines, leading scorer Matt Solberg has been relied upon heavily to put pucks in the net, especially on the power play.
Melton calls Solberg, a senior captain, a “naturally gifted offensive player.”
New Trier has consistency between the pipes as Jared Merens and Jack Junge, both juniors, have combined to limit opponents to two or fewer goals in 20 of the team’s 25 games going into action on Wednesday. Junge and Solberg earned all-tournament team honors at Loyola over Thanksgiving.
Loyola has “always been a very good defensive team,” Melton said, but LaVarre thinks his offense has been a strength this season.
“We’re scoring goals at a better rate,” LaVarre said.
Three seniors – forwards Zach Scholl (18 goals, 12 assists) and Axel Lifvendahl (17 goals, 12 assists) and two-way defenseman Cal Callahan (15 goals, 14 assists – are joined by sophomore Dan O’Grady (13 goals, 17 assists) as the team’s leading scorers though 32 games.
“The key for us is getting to the net,” LaVarre added.
Callahan joins senior defenseman Jake Skarzynski to stabilize the back end, which is “huge” for LaVarre as he platoons two new net minders. Sophomore Nick Bolino, at 6-foot-2, is tall and lanky in net, picking up five shutouts in 18 appearances. He splits time with junior Devon O’Brien, who has one shutout to his credit in 16 games.
“They’ve stepped up. I’ve seen progression,” LaVarre said. “It nice when you have two goalies you can platoon.”
LaVarre said his forwards will need to create havoc to stifle New Trier’s attack.
“The key with New Trier is that if you let them breathe, they’ll walk all over you,” he explained.
Melton expects a physical, low-scoring game. He wants his team to be disciplined and avoid retaliation, perhaps picking up a power play if Loyola gets too aggressive. With all the emotion of a rivalry battle, Melton suggests a chess match is in order when it comes to line matchups.
LaVarre said he’ll encourage his kids to soak in the pregame atmosphere, but be focused on playing hockey when the opening puck drops.
“I think it’s the biggest rivalry in high school hockey; two programs that don’t like each other,” he said. “It’s going to be a great experience for the kids.”
- Dan Campana, CN100 Correspondent
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