Cardinals out to make amends at 2008 OFSAA championship

BY SCOTT HADDOW

Redemption can be a powerful force in the right hands.

The St. Charles College Cardinals boys' hockey team battled all season for their shot at redemption at the OFSAA level in 2008.

The team made the commitment to return to the OFSAA championship at all costs. After their performance in 2007, they felt it was the only thing they could do.

Their grinding journey started back at their last game of the 2007 OFSAA A/AA championship. The team lost and produced a record of 0-4. They felt the sting of not showing what they were truly made of in front of a provincial audience.

This gave them plenty of motivation this season. The Cardinals kept pace with Division I powerhouse Lasalle all year, finishing second overall. St. Charles lost to Lasalle in the city finals, three-games-to-one, but still advanced to the 2008 NOSSA championship in North Bay last week as the Greater Sudbury A/AA representative.

As defending champions, the Cardinals went 1-1-1 and finished second putting them in the NOSSA final against West Ferris from North Bay. West Ferris had just beat St. Charles 4-0 eight hours earlier in the round-robin. The Cardinals rose to the challenge and beat West Ferris in the rematch 3-2 to earn their right at OFSAA redemption.

The A/AA OFSAA boys' hockey championship takes place in Ottawa from April 2 to 5.

With nine returning veterans from last season, they feel the redemption is in the right hands and the team is prepared to wreak havoc.

"One of our goals this season was to go back to OFSAA to redeem ourselves and our effort from last year," head coach Rob Zanatta said. "It was a bit of a let-down last year as we went 0-4. This time, we think we have a team that could win a medal. Our goal now is to be in a meaningful game on Friday and make the playoff round. If we can make the playoffs, anything can happen after that."

The team came together closer than ever before at NOSSA.

"I'm so proud of the way the boys played in the NOSSA final," Zanatta said. "After the round-robin loss to West Ferris we pulled the kids aside and had heart-to-heart talks with them about what we thought they could do, what we expected from them and how we needed them to be leaders. I'll tell you, to a man, every player stepped up in the final and they put forth an unbelievable effort to win."

Beating West Ferris in the final has put the Cardinals on a high wave which they hope will come crashing down heavily on opponents at OFSAA and create more success.

"It means a lot to this team to go back to OFSAA," forward Matt Foley said. "It's a big accomplishment  to represent Sudbury at the Ontario championship. Winning NOSSA gave us a big confidence boost for sure. To know we can come back and beat a team that had already beaten us - and in the final game was beating us -  is huge."

St. Charles earned the 12th seed at OFSAA. The coaching staff is hoping for repeated performances from the NOSSA final at every game at OFSAA.

"If the boys play the way they did in the NOSSA final...we'll have success," Zanatta said. "There was a positive energy surrounding the team and you could feel it. When this team is positive and works together, we're very successful. Our fore-check was incredible in the final and we need to keep it up at OFSAA."

The Cardinals can't wait to sink their beaks into the competition.

"We're ready," Foley said.