Sunday’s 11:00am championship game will feature the state’s top two ranked teams in the final coaches’ poll, #1 Lakewood St. Edward (22-3-1) vs. #2 Toledo St. Francis (27-3-2). The two teams met twice in the regular season. In November, the outcome was a 3-3 tie. In December, St. Francis took a 3-2 lead about three minutes into the third period, but St. Edward came storming back to win 6-3.
For the Eagles, 19 of their 26 games (73%) were against top ten teams. They won 16 of those 19 games (84%), with a 3.1 average goal differential (4.7 scored, 1.6 given up).
For the Knights, 16 of their 32 games (50%) were against top ten teams. They won 12 of those 16 games (75%), with a 1.7 average goal differential (3.9 scored, 2.2 given up).
The statistical edge goes to St. Edward. St. Francis, however, played the Eagles even-up (5 goals apiece) through five periods in their two previous meetings, until things got away from the Knights in the third period of the second contest.
Those stats may be interesting, but they will have no bearing on the outcome of tomorrow’s championship game. I expect both teams to give it their all in a hotly-contested, close match. May the better team win!
