'This is what you play for'

FINDLAY 2 ST. FRANCIS 1 SYLVANIA – Colin Somerville must like playing Toledo St. Francis. It's doubtful St. Francis would say the same thing about him. Somerville, who scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 shootout win over St. Francis in December, scored Findlay's lone goal in regulation and got the assist on Conner Stearns game-winner in overtime on Saturday when the Trojans beat St. Francis 2-1 in a major Northwest Hockey League showdown at Sylvania's Tam-O-Shanter Arena. "To cap it all off with the game-winning assist, this is what you play for," said Somerville, a sophomore forward for the Trojans. "I've been playing some of my best hockey the last few games so the confidence has just been growing. The team believes in each other right now and the energy throughout the group is just amazing." Findlay trailed St. Francis by a point and was tied with Bowling Green for second place in the NHC Red Division standings entering Saturday's game. The Trojans (6-1-0, 12 points) and Knights (5-1-1, 12 points) are now tied for first. Findlay, 16-8-1 and ranked seventh in the state poll, will travel to Meadville, Pa. and compete in the Bulldog Hockey Tournament next weekend, then wrap up the regular season with five NHC games, the last a Feb. 10 contest at The Cube against another long-time rival, Toledo St. Johns. "It's always fun when you can win in overtime like this," FHS coach Ben Patey commented after Saturday's game. "The team believes and we are built for success in the long run." Somerville gave Findlay a 1-0 lead on St. Francis, with Nate Riegle getting the assist with 2:18 left in the first period. St. Francis tied it 2:22 into the second period when Cole Provoznik intercepted a pass and fed Brady Mitchey for a breakout score. Solid goal tending then took over, with Findlay's Seth Russell (29 saves) and St. Francis senior Riley Kilburn (26 saves) both making key stops. Skating four-on-four in overtime, Somerville raced up the side and fired a shot. Kilburn made the save, but Stearns was there to put the rebound in the net. "Coaches are always preaching find the open ice and do the dirty work, so when I saw that space in front I stepped up today and delivered," Stearns said. "Hardworking goals aren't always the prettiest goals, but they are the ones that win team championships." While Saturday's game was a regular season matchup, Patey appreciated the tournament-like intensity of it. "The last few weeks now in the locker room we've been going with the belief that it's game seven of the Stanley Cup playoffs," he said. "Every game is a one game playoff for us at this point so we are prepared in those situations during the run toward the state finals." Andrew Gabel contributed to this article.