By CODY TOMER
The Intelligencer
WHEELING, W.Va. — Bob Otten Tournament defending champion, Morgantown, entered this year’s event with a target on its back and a chip on its shoulder.
When the final horn echoed throughout WesBanco Arena on Sunday night, it was Morgantown taking the ice in celebratory fashion with a 4-3 victory over Linsly.
Morgantown wanted to prove that last year’s triumph was no fluke and it did just that.
“It’s nice to win it again,”Morgantown coach Robert Rockis said. “We had a chip on our shoulder because of last year. We had to come back and prove something. I told them ‘We have targets on our backs and we have to step up and represent.’ ”
Daniel Arthurs was named Championship MVP following his two-goal performance — both coming in the second period — while teammate Brayden Wilson, who also found the back of the net in the final, was named Tournament MVP.
“We had to come prove that we are a program that is here to stay,” Morgantown senior captain Turner Lawrence said. “There was more anxiety this year because last year we didn’t have any expectations, but this year we had a chip on our shoulder.”
Linsly struck first on a slap shot from above the right circle by Ryan Dembiczak just over two minutes into the action, but the Mohawks answered. Emerson Wilson skated through the slot and fired a one-timer into the cage for the equalizer with 2:13 remaining in the first.
After Linsly came up short on the power play early in the second, Morgantown took control of the momentum with three goals in the frame.
Arthurs took a pass from Reis Snyder and lit the lamp for the go-ahead goal with 13:51 left. Two minutes later, Wilson connected on an assist from Wilson to put the Mohawks in charge by two.
The Cadets began to claw their way back late in the second as Matthew Maroney cleaned up a rebound on the power play to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The momentum didn’t last long. Ninety seconds later, Arthurs sent a laser past a Linsly defenseman and goalie Niko Ylikitti to put the Mohawks up 4-2 heading to the third.
“We tried to get our legs going,” Lawrence said. “We go slow out of the gates during most games but we picked it up in the second.
“We stuck to our game plan and just got pucks down low. We battled and brought the puck home a few times and that was all she wrote.”
Morgantown outshot Linsly, 22-20, through two periods of play.
“I think we tried our best but we kind of got tired,” Linsly coach Stefan Brannare said. “We had a short bench and got tired in the second period, but we got energized in the third.”
Linsly’s Hunter Koch nearly scored early in the third as the puck slowly inched toward the goal line before Morgantown goalie Blake Phillips dived on it for the save.
Phillips finished with 28 saves.
“Blake Phillips is a wonderful goalie,” Lawrence said of his teammate. “He has a bright future and he kept us in that game.”
The Cadets picked up the pace as Dembiczak sent a missile towards the net. This time, he came up short, but teammate Zac Taylor was there to put the rebound away and make it a one-goal game at 4-3 with 7:09 left.
Linsly had one more chance at the power play, but was unable to do anything with it as Morgantown hoisted the trophy once again.
“We have some great leaders on our team,” Brannare said. “Owen (Ciavoliello), Zac, Matthew Maroney, Ryan Dembiczak, Aidan Grubler — we just fell one goal short.”
Linsly’s lone senior, Ylikitti, made a valiant effort after an injury plagued season, stopping 21 shots in the finale.
