Owens keys a sick Rustin comeback over O’Hara

WEST GOSHEN — Matt Owens nearly stayed home Friday night. After battling a stomach bug the last few days, West Chester Rustin’s top scorer didn’t know if he could play when the Golden Knights welcomed Cardinal O’Hara to Ice Line.

But as the clock drew closer to puck drop for one of the best nonleague matchups of the season, he decided to give it a go.

“It was a decision made probably around 6 o’clock,” Owens said. “I was laying in bed, and figured, you know what, I should get out there.”

Rustin is glad he did. Owens shoveled home a loose puck with 25 seconds left to give the Knights their first lead of a game they went on to win 7-5. That goal, Owens’ third of the game, completed a remarkable comeback.

Rustin had trailed O’Hara 5-1 before finding the back of the net six times in the last period and a half.

“We were a little depressed. Being down 5-1, it’s not the best feeling in the world,” said Nick Ferraro, who contributed two goals and two assists for the Knights. “But we knew we were a better hockey team, and we just said, ‘Oh yeah, let’s do this.’”

He offered another source of inspiration as well: “Matt Owens. Our big captain over there.”

The game shifted with a simple line tweak. While Owens, subsisting on a combination of Alka-Seltzer and Powerade, struggled to find his legs, he and Ferraro skated on separate lines. That changed in the second period, and the move paid dividends.

The two combined to score the next five goals.

“Halfway through the second we got put together,” Owens said. “Being seniors, I think we all figured we needed to pick it up a little bit.”

That marked the start of a second act in what Lions coach Ed Banes called a tale of two games.

In the first period and a half, his top guns were rolling. Jacob Pohlig buzzed around the offensive zone, potting a hat trick.

Pohlig’s first goal came off a solo rush 5:54 into the game. He added two more in the second, pouncing on rebounds as O’Hara peppered Rustin goaltender Conor Marley.

Senior captain John Paul Ahearn, a purposeful skater whose poise with the puck allows Pohlig and linemate Zac Deemer to move freely, also provided a punch, picking up the second goal and assisting on two others.

When Michael Anastasi tipped in Matt Beck’s point shot with 11:33 to play in the frame, all was going according to plan for the Lions. Until it wasn’t.

“Well, we got comfortable with the 5-1 lead,” Beck said. “We let up on our forecheck and our offense kind of tried to get too pretty.”

A stunning, somewhat bizarre climax ensued. Owens cashed in on a rebound before the second period was up. But in the third, his frustration threatened the final result. He set up Ferraro to make it 5-3 then watched teammate Lucas Christie take a penalty after the play.

Owens didn’t like the call and let it be known. He, too, was sent to the box. O’Hara had a two-man advantage and a chance to add insurance. Instead, Pohlig was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the power play stalled.

Rustin (11-1-1) responded quickly. Ferraro scored again from in close to pull within one. Then Marley made his best save of the night, nudging aside Ronan Plummer’s wrist shot from the slot. Owens did the rest. With 6:34 remaining, he blocked a shot at the point and raced in on Troy Percival, who did all he could to stymie the Knights.

Owens deked to the backhand, slid the puck behind the Lions netminder and crashed into the boards before the scoreboard changed to 5-5.

With time ticking toward an extra session, Owens again intervened and bagged the winner. Christie added an empty-netter for good measure.

“When we come together as a team, we know we can beat anybody,” Owens said of the five-time defending A state champions.

“We love playing good teams,” Ferraro added. “It makes us better.”

The Lions (9-1-1) could say the same. While they’ll be back in action Monday night against yet another defending state champion in AA Downingtown East – O’Hara defeated AAA winners St. Joseph’s Prep earlier this month – the Lions will use Friday’s collapse as a learning experience.

“In the first period, we had our legs going,” Beck said. “Third period, we were trying to do too much with the puck. We let them get back in the game. A good team can do that.”