After 76 games, and 51 minutes into the 77th, Glenbrook North hockey coach Evan Poulakidas decided to make a change.
Junior forward Joe Day had skated well all day. Senior forward Eric Doar labored in obscurity, as usual, with few stat-sheet tangibles to show for his efforts.
After the Spartans blew a two-goal lead in the final six minutes of regulation Sunday, Poulakidas put Day and Doar on the same line at the start of overtime in the Blackhawk Cup final at the United Center. The pair rarely played together all season, not at all Sunday in regulation.
But Doar found Day in front of the net in the final minute of overtime, and Day lofted a backhand over Benet goalie Justin Davidson for a 3-2 victory in the red varsity final.
Red varsity is the highest division within the Amateur Hockey Association Illinois for players from only one high school.
Glenbrook North (63-12-2) won its fifth state title, and first since 2008, in its third consecutive state-final berth. New Trier topped the Spartans the last two years.
The loss snapped Benet’s 26-game winning streak, which included the Catholic League’s Kennedy Cup title for the second time in three years.
“I knew it right when I got the puck,” Day said of his goal. “(Doar) just gave me an unbelievable pass.”
High-scoring forwards Alex Merritt (55 goals) and Logan Nein (40) staked Glenbrook North to a 2-0 lead midway through the second period, and the Spartans seemed to be in control until Michael Prasse and Bobby Ernsting scored back-to-back goals for Benet (44-9-3) in the waning minutes.
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Doar had 18 points all season but earned his playing time with speed, grit and intelligence. He aided Glenbrook North by keeping the puck in the zone and backchecking. His championship-clinching assist merely quantified his performance.
“When you’re out there doing little things right, you keep your team moving forward,” Doar said. “It shows up in everyone’s reaction to you.”
No. 2 Glenbrook North benefited from watching other teams dispatch its two nemeses. Of the Spartans’ 12 losses, seven came against New Trier and Providence. No. 14 Notre Dame beat the third-seeded Celtics in the second round, and No. 4 Benet knocked off the top-ranked Trevians in a semifinal.
Glenbrook North and New Trier might meet again to decide the Scholastic Hockey League tournament title. The teams split the first two games of the best-of-three series, with the Blackhawk Cup final doubling as the winner-take-all game if both teams qualified. Because New Trier lost in the semis, one more game would be required to decide the outright title.
Glenbard wins boys combined crown: Sam Weiss scored twice, including the overtime winner, and added an assist to lift Glenbard past Maine 4-3 in overtime in the combined state final.
Glenbard (38-14-4) never led until it was over. Maine (29-22-13) got a goal and assist from Jimmy Kasch.
Nikko Parisi also scored twice for Glenbard, and Jim Bertane made 36 saves.
Latin claims girls title: Kendra Nealey scored twice and assisted both goals by Grace Zarzecki to pace No. 2 Latin to a 4-3 state championship victory against top-seeded Loyola.
The Romans’ superior puck control and the Ramblers’ six penalties made the difference.
Latin (21-5-3) is a co-op including girls from Jones, U-High and Young.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Nealey, a U-High sophomore. “Being out there is something to remember. It’s a day you’ll never forget.”
Glenbrook North 3, Benet 2 (OT)
Player of the game: Joe Day, Glenbrook North, game-winning goal.
Key performers: Benet — Bobby Ernsting, tying goal; Justin Davidson 29 saves. Glenbrook North — Alexander Merritt and Logan Nein, 1 goal; Garrett Cohen 24 saves.