Recapping last night’s game

Predators Cup Final Game 2
Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb 6, Ravenwood 4 PODCAST LINK
With just under five minutes left in the first, Jake Lapinsky opened the scoring by knocking in the rebound on a saved Canon Kiser shot. This would be Ravenwood’s only lead of the night. Just over two minutes later, Ensworth won a draw in the Ravenwood zone; JT Borland took a shot from the left point that Trex Hooper deflected into the back of the net from in front, and the game was tied. With 64 seconds left in the opening frame, Ben Sonkin fired the puck into the roof of the net from the high slot, and the Ice Tigers led 2-1 after one. The teams exchanged power play goals in the second: First, with just under 5:30 left, Ravenwood tied the game when Jack Ready scored on a rebound from a saved Brady Friedman shot that Ensworth goalie Bingston Soundara had fumbled. With just under four minutes to go, Justin Nozko gave the Ice Tigers the lead back on his first goal of the postseason when he potted a saved Sonkin shot. Nearly 80 seconds later, Liam Powell ripped a shot into the back of the net, just evading Soundara’s right arm, and for the second straight night, it was 3-3 after two, as both teams headed off the ice to make way for the Zamboni. Just over two minutes into the third, Ensworth went back in front when Borland shot the puck into the roof of the net from the high slot. 54 seconds later, Ready scored his second - and Ravenwood’s final goal - when he fired the puck into the back of the net from the left circle. Nearly four minutes later, Sonkin scored the winning goal when he stole it from Zeke Landkammer, carried it into the Raptors’ zone, and fired it into the back of the net from just inside the top of the right circle. With 1:46 left in regulation, Ravenwood goalie Colin Gower was pulled for the extra attacker; after two attempts just missed the empty net, Sonkin intercepted a pass in his own slot, and fired it down ice into the open cage to complete his hat trick, and lock the Predators Cup away with 18.5 seconds to go.

This was easily the best two-game Predators Cup Final of all-time. Twists and turns all over the place, and only once in the full 84 minutes did someone have a multi-goal lead (Ravenwood jumping out to a 2-0 advantage on Monday). The best players on paper were the best players on the ice, and this applies to both teams. An amazing two nights.

Stick taps to Ravenwood head coach James Gately. After the Sonkin empty-netter, he put all four of his seniors - Brady Miller (who hadn’t seen any action in the crease this postseason since the loss to Montgomery Bell on February 14), Will Gallagher, Jack Ready, and Bennett Nichols - on the ice to finish the game. A classy move.

Congratulations to Tim McAllister and Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb on winning the Predators Cup. They’ve been building to a moment like this for the past few years. It’s especially great for Ensworth itself, who, as a scholastic team, infamously lost all of their regular season games in back-to-back campaigns - 2007-08 and 2008-09. This was Ensworth’s third different GNASH tournament final. They had lost the previous two (the 2017 Mielnik Cup final as Ensworth-Oakland, and the 2022 Hine Cup Final as Nolensville-Ensworth-Lipscomb), so, the third time was indeed the charm.

This is the first GNASH trophy of any kind won by Ensworth School, Nolensville High School, and Lipscomb Academy. Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb become the first three-school co-op to win the Predators Cup, and the first team to win it after starting the season in the lower tier.

Final Predators Cup bracket

Tonight’s game

2024 GNASH All-Star Game - 7 PM @ Bellevue-Crisp (MTSN coverage begins at 6:55 PM BROADCAST LINK)

Celebrating the champions

Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb
Departing Seniors: Grant Ranck and Ben Sonkin
In a “normal” season, Ensworth wouldn’t have been among the top teams due to their youth. But this was a season where youth was served, with Franklin easily being the most “experienced” team in the Predators Cup, having nine seniors. But Ensworth’s youngsters were energetic and fast, especially Trex Hooper and Justin Nozko. That, combined with Sonkin’s leadership, got them to the title. And we can’t forget how brilliant Bingston Soundara was in goal this postseason, especially the Father Ryan game which, if they lost, they might not have made it to the final. Ensworth will be at the top of the league again next season, but not overwhelming favorites.

Requiem for the runners-up

Ravenwood
Departing Seniors: Will Gallagher, Brady Miller, Bennett Nichols, and Jack Ready
The Ravenwood team that played in the Predators Cup looked more like the team that played in the first half of the regular season, relying on their big guns of Liam Powell and Cooper Hill to get the job done. That’s why it was so shocking when the entire coaching staff was replaced after the loss to Ensworth on November 15. James Gately took over, and put his cards against his chest for the second half, knowing that, no matter the seed, it was double-elimination, and anything could happen. I kept expecting Ravenwood to fall, but they didn’t until last night. They just ran out of gas; four games in eight days will wear you down, especially when you have travel hockey on top of that. They’ve found their goalie for the future in Colin Gower, so, they just need to find him a backup for next year. Powell and Hill will also be back to lead the charge for their swansong season, so, Ravenwood aren’t going anywhere just yet. 2025 Preds Cup Final rematch between Ensworth and Ravenwood, anyone?

Monday’s final score

Predators Cup Final Game 1
Ravenwood 5, Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb 4 PODCAST LINK

Podcasts

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The next newsletter comes out tomorrow, March 7.