Kings of the Ice: Columbia wins MVCHA title

The Columbia Ice Eagles pose with their championship trophy following Monday night’s 7-5 victory over O’Fallon in the MVCHA Varsity 2A finals. For more photos from the MVCHA playoffs, click here. (Corey Saathoff photo)


The Columbia Ice Eagles edged defending champion O’Fallon on Monday night, 7-5, to sweep the best-of-three Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association Varsity 2A finals and win the league crown.

Columbia suffered just one loss the entire season in its journey to the promised land, that being on Dec. 21 to then-unbeaten rival Freeburg-Waterloo.

With a crowd of mostly O’Fallon supporters packing the stands at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O’Fallon, the Ice Eagles got off to a quick start in game two just like in game one on Thursday. Goals by Sean Hofstetter, Ryan Hofstetter and Hudson Miller put Columbia up 3-0 early.

But just as in game one, O’Fallon battled back to make it a 3-2 game early in the second period.

Following a Sean Hofstetter breakaway goal to make it a 4-2 Columbia lead, O’Fallon scored twice to tie it at 4-4 with five minutes remaining in the second period.

A Sean Hofstetter power play goal broke the tie with 8:42 remaining in the contest, followed by another goal from Miller. O’Fallon scored again to make it a 6-5 game with just under six minutes left, but Cam Nowak put the icing on the cake for the Ice Eagles with a goal at the five minute mark.

To view a short video of the game’s final seconds, click here.

Read more in the Feb. 21 issue of the Republic-Times newspaper.

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Corey Saathoff

Corey is the editor of the Republic-Times. He has worked at the newspaper since 2004, and currently resides in Columbia. He is also the principal singer-songwriter and plays guitar in St. Louis area country-rock band The Trophy Mules.
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