MTSN GNASH Newsletter for February 26, 2025

Middle Tennessee Sports Network
February 26, 2025

Tonight’s broadcast schedule

Brentwood vs. Station Camp-Liberty Creek - 7:05 PM pregame, 7:10 PM faceoff BROADCAST LINK
Ravenwood vs. Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb - 8:30 PM pregame, 8:40 PM faceoff BROADCAST LINK

Previewing tonight’s games

Both games will be played @ Centennial A.

Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Final
#5 Brentwood vs. #1 Station Camp-Liberty Creek - 7:10 PM
How they got here
Brentwood:
-Lost 6-4 to Centennial-FRA on February 5 in the first round
-Defeated Montgomery County Rangers 8-3 on February 10 in the Losers’ Bracket first round
-Defeated Rutherford Rampage 5-1 last Friday in a Losers’ Bracket Quarterfinal
-Defeated Centennial-FRA 2-1 on Monday in the Losers’ Bracket Semifinal
Station Camp:
-Defeated Montgomery County Rangers 8-1 on February 3 in the first round
-Defeated Centennial-FRA 4-3 on February 10 in a Winners’ Bracket Semifinal
-Lost 10-6 to Father Ryan last Thursday in the Winners’ Bracket Final
Regular season meeting: Brentwood won 3-2 on November 11

So, for the second straight year, Brentwood have made it to the Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Final as the 5 seed, and for the second straight year, they’re going up against a Sumner County team (it was Hendersonville-Beech-Gallatin in last year’s thriller that the Bruins won 7-6 in overtime). Oh, and the Bruins are in the Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Final after losing in the first round of the tournament for the second straight year. I think just about everyone was surprised that the second Hine Cup meeting between the Bruins and Centennial back on Monday was so low-scoring, after the first meeting ended 6-4. Everyone keeps waiting for Jack Schultz to come alive and start scoring goals, but Callahan Fielder notched another point on Monday, providing the primary assist on Zane Cesarone’s game-winning goal. Meanwhile, the Bison have had nearly a week to get past being on the wrong end of the goalfest against Father Ryan. Joey Siciliano still managed to score four goals against the Irish. They’ll be going up against an Andrew Sallee fresh off of a great performance against the Cougars on Monday. Siciliano, Jadon Robertson, Toby Mehaffy, Andrew Grooms will all need to put the pressure on Sallee and keep it up the entire time. And the Bison will have to suppress the threats of Fielder, Cesarone, and Schultz at all times (might want to throw Brody Bohman in there, too). They’ll need a good performance in goal from whom I will assume will be Carter Gilleece, too. I think they’ll be up to the task.

Pick: Station Camp

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner will play Father Ryan tomorrow night in the Henry Hine Cup Final, while the loser is eliminated

Predators Cup Final
#2 Ravenwood vs. #1 Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb - 8:40 PM
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
-Lost 6-4 to Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb last Friday in the Winners’ Bracket Final
-Defeated Montgomery Bell 4-3 in overtime on Monday in the Losers’ 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
-Defeated Ravenwood 6-4 last Friday in the Winners’ Bracket Final
Previous meetings this season: Ensworth won 3-2 on January 13, and 6-4 last Friday

So, here we are. The rematch we all anticipated. Although, at the beginning of the season, I would’ve said that the Raptors would’ve come out of the Winners’ Bracket, and the Ice Tigers out of the Losers’ Bracket. As the season went on, though, Ensworth got stronger, as they played without a pure goalscorer. Bingston Soundara has continued to play brilliantly in goal, even though he’s allowed more goals in this postseason (eight) than he did in the regular season (just three). But, that’s what happens when you consistently face like-for-like opposition almost exclusively in the playoffs. Henry Cravens has stepped up to lead the Ice Tigers’ offense, with Trex Hooper, and surprisingly, Henry Oeser, who had a hat trick against the Raptors last Friday. But, on the other side is a Ravenwood attack that is thriving without Cooper Hill. Mason Reed is now on a six-game goal-scoring streak, while the other usual suspects (Liam Powell, Brady Friedman, Keaton Moffitt) are contributing, as well. But Reed is now THE THREAT, and Ensworth will need to shut him down. I don’t think this ends tonight. I see both teams rolling just two lines to get done what they need to get done. The good news is, should Ravenwood force the If Necessary, it’s five days from now instead of the very next night, as was the situation last year, so, both teams should get plenty of rest in that instance.

Should Ensworth win, not only will they repeat as Preds Cup champs, but they will become the first time to go through an entire GNASH season unbeaten since Brentwood in 2010-11.

Also, I have spoken to some GNASH higher-ups, and, at this moment, it appears that there will NOT be an ice cut following the second period tonight, as the league was unable to add any extra time to their slot. Makes me wonder if starting lineup intros and the national anthem will be skipped, too. Things might change between now and tonight, but it’s not looking likely. The same goes for the Hine Cup Final tomorrow night, as well, and, I would guess, both of Monday’s If Necessary Games.

Pick: Ravenwood

Consequences of this game’s result: Ensworth win the Predators Cup with a win, while Ravenwood would force next Monday’s If Necessary Game with a win

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

Monday’s final scores

Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket Final
Ravenwood 4, Montgomery Bell 3 (OT) PODCAST LINK

Henry Hine Cup Losers’ Bracket Semifinal
Brentwood 2, Centennial-FRA 1 PODCAST LINK

Tomorrow’s game

MTSN is planning to broadcast tomorrow’s game.

Henry Hine Cup Final @ Antioch-North
Brentwood/Station Camp winner vs. #3 Father Ryan - 8:30 PM

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.