Vikings retain Memorial Cup!

The 7th annual Memorial Cup ended like the first six have, with a Vikings victory as Francis Howell topped Francis Howell Central 7-4.

Senior Keanean Bahm got things started with an unassisted goal 1:53 into the opening period, 1-0 Howell.  Central answered with a goal of their own at the 10:30 mark and the first period ended, tied 1-1.

The Vikings again scored early in the period when Senior Danny Del Vecchio, assisted by Senior Nick Trankler, found the back of the net just 1:28 into the second period to put Francis Howell back on top, 2-1. The game continued to see saw as Central tied the contest with 10:21 remaining in the second period. The Vikings returned serve just :42 later when Junior Will Peterson scored, assisted by Junior Braydon Brandhorst. The Spartans tied the game again with a goal 11:13 into the second period and it looked like the second period might ended tied.

Brayden Brandhorst, assisted by Bahm and Peterson, netted the game winner, however, with just a minute left in the period, putting the Vikings up 4-3, a lead they would never surrender. It was the second point of the game for all three Vikings players.

A trio of Vikings goals in the third period put the game out of reach. Senior Riley Wright scored an unassisted goal with 6:33 left in the final period to make it 5-3. Junior Charlie Jackson added his name to the score sheet with 4:29 left in the game, assisted by Trankler who picked up his second point of the game.

Central added a goal of their own with just 2:54 seconds left in the game to close the gap to two, but as they did all night, the Vikings quickly answered back with a goal of their own :47 later. Sophomore Nate Angelo closed out the scoring with 2:07 left in the game, assisted by Peterson who finished the game with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) pushing the score to 7-4.

Senior goaltenders Jack Finch and Easton Bristow split duties in net. The duo combined to turn away 15 of the 19 shots they faced in the exhibition contest.

The Vikings (11-3-0) will return to regular season action on January 2 when they travel to Fort Zumwalt East (6-6-2) for a 7:45 pm game at the Rec Plex.