Knights capture high school hockey title (12 photos)

A goal by Josh Mannarino late in the third period was the difference as the Knights beat the Korah Colts 2-1 Thursday to win the best-of-5 city final in three games.

Parked in front of the Korah goal, Mannarino deflected a shot by Christian Alfano past Colts netminder Sean Zago for the eventual game winner.

Kyle Finateri had the other goal for the Knights while Johnny Mackin assisted on both goals.

“I don’t think we had our best effort, but a win’s a win,” said St. Mary’s coach Mike Oliveira. “It was a hard-fought series.”

Oliveira felt it was tough to get a flow going in the game.

“There were a lot of penalties called that broke up our flow,” Oliveira said. “We got a little bit amped up. The crowd was big tonight and I thought that got to our boys heads a little bit, but they found a way to win.”

Kaden Dundas had the lone goal for the Colts.

Playing the game with a short bench, including just four defencemen, Korah coach Greg Arbour praised the effort of his team in the game.

“Our kids put their heart and soul into that one,” Arbour said. “That was a tremendous response from (Sunday).”

Arbour credited the play of the Korah defencemen – Dundas, Beau Neveau, Noah Case, and Dante Scaglione – further.

“They played with four D for the last two months of the yeah,” Arbour added. “That’s pretty tremendous what those four did at this level.”

Oliveira spoke of the Knights being able to control the play at times in the series and how much of a difference it made.

“In terms of controlling the play, I thought we controlled most of the offensive zone time,” Oliveira said. “We wore them down throughout the game and that was the difference. We wore them down throughout the series.”

Chuck Webb of the Knights was named the winner of the Art Jarrett Memorial Award as the playoff MVP.

The Knights will now prepare for the Northern Ontario Secondary School Athletics (NOSSA) tournament, which opens on March 9 in North Bay.