MTSN GNASH Newsletter for February 21, 2025

Middle Tennessee Sports Network
February 21, 2025

Last night’s broadcast

Tonight’s broadcast schedule

Ravenwood vs. Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb - 6:40 PM pregame, 6:45 PM faceoff BROADCAST LINK
Franklin vs. Montgomery Bell - 8:25 PM pregame, 8:30 PM faceoff BROADCAST LINK

Recapping last night’s game

Henry Hine Cup Winners’ Bracket Final
Father Ryan 10, Station Camp-Liberty Creek 6
Because there were 16 goals scored in this game, and Father Ryan led the whole way, I’m not going to do a play-by-play summary, but instead, a generic scoring summary, then I’ll post my thoughts below.

Colin Sullivan and Gage Hart each had hat tricks for the Irish, with their other goals coming from Hudson Laux, Brendan Malloy, Danny Libby, and Sam Halloran. Joey Siciliano had four goals for the Bison, with the other two coming from McClain Gregory and Andrew Grooms.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a GNASH tournament semifinal (which is what a Winners’ Bracket Final is, since the winner gets the first spot in the final) this high-scoring. The Irish padded on the goals in the first two periods (good thing, because the Bison made it interesting in the third when they got within 8-5 eight seconds after getting within 8-4). Goaltending from both teams wasn’t great, but Jack Karpynec did well to stave off the Bison’s immediate attack in the game’s first 30 seconds. Keaton Howard was pulled after just 3:36 after giving up the Irish’s first two goals. Poor Carter Gilleece got shelled, giving up seven of the other eight (the last was an empty-netter).

Can anyone stop this Irish team now? It looks like their fuse is beginning to smoke and spark, and it’s about to reach the rocket. The entire offense is putting pucks in the back of the net, not just Hart and Sullivan. The only thing that needs to be better is the goaltending, especially if they get a rematch with Station Camp. But, it looks like Father Ryan are on a roll, and you’ll get run over if you step out in front of them.

Next game for both teams
Father Ryan: Next Thursday vs. either Independence-BA-USN-Nashville Christian, Brentwood, Centennial-FRA, Rutherford Rampage, OR Station Camp-Liberty Creek in the Henry Hine Cup Final @ 7:10 PM @ Antioch-North
Station Camp-Liberty Creek: Next Wednesday vs. either Independence-BA-USN-Nashville Christian, Brentwood, Centennial-FRA, OR Rutherford Rampage in the Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Final @ 7:10 PM @ Centennial A

Brackets

Click on the bracket images to be taken to their BracketHQ webpages; they automatically update when a final score is entered.

Predators Cup

Henry Hine Cup

Previewing tonight’s games

The games that MTSN will broadcast are in BOLD.

Predators Cup Winners’ Bracket Final
#2 Ravenwood vs. #1 Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb - 6:45 PM @ Bellevue 2
How they got here:
Ravenwood:
-Defeated Hendersonville-Beech-Lawson 6-0 on February 5 in the first round
-Defeated Montgomery Bell 3-1 on February 10 in a Winners’ Bracket Semifinal
Ensworth:
-Defeated Tennessee Outlaws 6-3 on February 3 in the first round
-Defeated Summit-Page 4-1 on February 10 in a Winners’ Bracket Semifinal
Regular season meeting: Ensworth won 3-2 on January 13

Well, this was inevitable. These are the absolute two best teams in GNASH this season, and here they are, meeting deep into the Preds Cup once again, with the first berth in next week’s final on the line. The last time they met, Ensworth won a tight one to claim the GNASH Cup regular season championship, the second straight season that they’ve beaten the Raptors to win a trophy (the other occasion, of course, being last year’s Preds Cup Final). Of course, as mentioned in the February 11 letter, the Raptors will be without their star forward, Cooper Hill, for the rest of this postseason, after he suffered a broken thumb playing for the Jr. Preds back on February 7. Now, Ravenwood are absolutely capable of winning this game without him, but he is unquestionably the team’s driving force. Who steps up? I’ll say Mason Reed. The freshman is on a four-game goal-scoring streak, and he plays on Hill’s line (the top line), showing the speed required to do so. Liam Powell and Brady Friedman scored the Raptors’ other two goals last week against the Big Red. In addition to those two, you have Keaton Moffitt as a scoring threat. So, yes, The Big Gun™ might be down, but there are plenty of other big guns to step up and take aim. As for the Ice Tigers, their usual suspects are also scoring for them: Henry Cravens leads them with three goals, while Trex Hooper, Spencer Kern, and Lucas Tarquine have all scored twice. But, of course, it will come down to goaltending. Now, Reese Mackenzie was in goal for the first showdown, and, outside of a bad second period, where Ensworth scored all of their goals, she did a solid job. Does James Gately go with her again? I would not be surprised, but, I think Colin Gower gets his shot at Ensworth this time. Of course, the other crease will have Bingston Soundara in it. He shook off the iffy game against the Outlaws by turning away (again, by my own count) 41 of 42 Summit shots. Will Ravenwood finally be the team that beats him? There’s a chance, but, he’s playing near flawless hockey right now.

Quick note: This will be the first game of this entire Preds Cup tournament to be played in Bellevue; to this point, the only Preds Cup game initially scheduled to be played in Bellevue for 2025 was the If Necessary Championship Game on March 3.

Pick: Ensworth

Consequences of this game’s result: The winner will claim the first spot in next Wednesday’s Predators Cup Final, while the loser will play the Franklin/MBA winner next Monday in the Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket Final

Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket Semifinal
#6 Franklin vs. #3 Montgomery Bell - 8:30 PM @ Bellevue 2
How they got here:
Franklin:
-Lost 5-1 to MBA on February 3 in the first round
-Defeated Hendersonville-Beech-Lawson 3-2 on February 6 in the Losers’ Bracket first round
-Defeated Summit-Page 5-4 in overtime last Wednesday in a Losers’ Bracket Quarterfinal
Montgomery Bell:
-Defeated Franklin 5-1 on February 3 in the first round
-Lost 3-1 to Ravenwood on February 10 in a Winners’ Bracket Semifinal
-Defeated Tennessee Outlaws 6-1 last Wednesday in a Losers’ Bracket Quarterfinal
Previous meetings this season: MBA won 4-0 on January 13, and 5-1 on February 3

So, the box score from the first meeting in this tournament between these two teams says that the Admirals outshot the Big Red 10-6. It was higher, but not by much. Franklin outshot MBA 14-9, meaning the Big Red scored five goals on nine shots. That is “Yikes!” territory. Now, commendations to the Admirals for knocking off 4 seed Summit last week, especially when the Spartans whipped them 6-1 in the first meeting last month. But, Summit’s goaltending can be iffy from game-to-game, and if there’s anything that Hunter Wieck isn’t is iffy. He isn’t perfect, but iffy he is not, and I can’t see Franklin throwing the 3 seed over the top rope. Not this time.

Pick: MBA

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner will play the Ravenwood/Ensworth loser next Monday in the Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket Final, while the loser is eliminated

Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Quarterfinals
#6 Independence-BA-USN-Nashville Christian vs. #4 Centennial-FRA - 5 PM @ Bellevue 2
How they got here:
Indy:
-Lost 5-2 to Father Ryan on February 5 in the first round
-Defeated Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central-Green Hill 7-2 on February 10 in the Losers’ Bracket first round
Centennial:
-Defeated Brentwood 6-4 on February 5 in the first round
-Lost 4-3 to Station Camp-Liberty Creek on February 10 in a Winners’ Bracket Semifinal
Regular season meeting: Indy won 5-1 on December 4

What a heartbreaking loss for Centennial against Station Camp last week: McClain Gregory scores the game-winning goal with 2:45 left in regulation, and the Bison are now a step away from the Hine Cup Final, while the Cougars will have to take the long way ‘round. Meanwhile, the Eagles overcame a tough first round loss to Ryan by overwhelming Mt. Juliet. Their offense is better than Centennial’s, but this time, they’re going to face Drew Stratton in goal instead of David Busby. And that is where the scales tip in Centennial’s favor (although, nine goals in two games is pretty good, and Brendan Mitchell has scored four of them). Indy actually outshot the Cougars 33-21 on December 4, but did Centennial let off when the game was lost? Big difference between a regular season game and an elimination playoff game. I think the Cougars will have more hustle this time, and come out on top.

This will be the first GNASH game to be played on Rink 2 in Bellevue since late 2022.

Pick: Centennial

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner will play the Brentwood/Rampage winner next Monday in the Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Semifinal, while the loser is eliminated

#5 Brentwood vs. #2 Rutherford Rampage - 5:15 PM @ Antioch-North
How they got here:
Brentwood:
-Lost 6-4 to Centennial-FRA on February 5 in the first round
-Defeated Montgomery County Rangers 8-3 in the Losers’ Bracket first round
Rampage:
-Defeated Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central-Green Hill 10-2 on February 3 in the first round
-Lost 6-2 to Father Ryan last Wednesday in a Winners’ Bracket Semifinal
Regular season meeting: Rampage won 9-2 on November 7

While the focus is on the Ravenwood/Ensworth game, a rematch of last year’s Preds Cup Final, this rematch of last year’s Hine Cup Final is high-stakes, too, because the loser has to leave the party. Both teams have scored 12 goals so far this postseason, each having one emphatic win, but one tough loss. And, if there is such a thing, Brentwood lost better to Centennial than the Rampage did to Father Ryan. The Bruins went down 4-2 in the second against Centennial, coming back to tie it before Brendan Mitchell scored the winning goal. The Rampage, meanwhile, went down 2-0 to the Irish in the first on strange goals. They were better in the first period on shots, but the scoreboard told a different story. In the second, the Rampage only mustered five shots, while the Irish scored two goals that were more conventional than the two they scored in the first. Rutherford got a power play early in the third and converted it to get within 4-1, but then the Irish scored twice more to stop a comeback. It was not a good game for the Rampage. And now, they’re facing Andrew Sallee tonight after going up against Collier Owen back in November. I feel like the Rampage may have blown their shot at a repeat. We’ll see. Mason Matthews, who had a hat trick against Brentwood in the November meeting, returns to the lineup tonight after being suspended from the Father Ryan game due to getting a checking from behind major against Mt. Juliet on February 3.

Pick: Brentwood

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner will play the Indy/Centennial winner next Monday in the Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Semifinal, while the loser is eliminated

Classic playoff broadcasts

Once again during this postseason, we will be uploading great GNASH playoff games of the past that were heard on MTSN. Uploads will take place every Tuesday and Friday during the postseason. Click HERE to go back in time!

Podcasts

As we did last year, game podcasts are being exclusively uploaded to our YouTube channel for this season. To subscribe so you don’t miss out, scroll down to the footer of this newsletter, and click on the play button to be taken to our channel.

Miscellaneous links

Follow @MTSNGNASHScores on Twitter (we refuse to call it X) to get the scores for every GNASH game.