Hockey: Despite Controlled Showing, Flyers Knocked Out by Tie

It was a tough way for the season to end for the Flyers.

"This was such an evenly-matched series," Lindbergh coach Greg Anderson said. "We played them four times and tied them three and the other was basically a one-goal game with an empty net goal."

A tie amounted to a loss for the Lindbergh Flyers Monday night in the second game of the best-of-two Challenge Cup series against the Oakville Tigers . Oakville, which had won the first game of the series 5-3 Thursday, held on for a 1-1 tie in a thriller at the .

"I thought we matched up well with them and vice versa," Anderson said. "We threw everything but the kitchen sink at them but I have to commend Zach Jost. He had a great game. I thought we were hesitant and nervous the first period of the first game. But I thought we controlled the second and third periods of the first game and felt we played well again tonight. I love these guys. We will miss our three seniors but we have a strong group coming back. Things are looking up."

The tie advances the Tigers to the Frozen Four of the Mid-States Hockey Association. They will play the winner of the series between Marquette and St. Louis University High in the semifinals. Those games are scheduled for Feb. 23 and Feb. 25 at the Hardee's Ice Plex in Chesterfield.

"This was what I expected tonight," Oakville coach Derek Stephens said. "Any time you get to this round, it is desperation hockey. We knew we needed our best effort and I thought we got it. We need that kind of effort and even more the rest of the way. We are not done yet."

Oakville, which won the Challenge Cup championship in 2005, was eliminated in the second round last year by Webster Groves.

Brendan Nichting scored the first goal of the game for the Tigers late in the first period.

That actually gave the Tigers a two-goal cushion since Lindbergh needed the win. The Flyers made things interesting in the third period when Cody Guidorzi scored at 1:11 to tie the game.

Lindbergh would put pressure on the rest of the way, pulling its goalie in the final minute. But Tiger goalie Zach Jost was able to keep the puck out of the net and extend his team's season.

"This is a great feeling," Jost said. "It's the best feeling in the world. The team played a great game in front of me. I was nervous at the end. They took some good shots but we had the right players out there. I feel now that we can go all the way. That is our goal."

"I can't say enough about Zach," Stephens said. "He is so stellar in goal and his play gives all the guys on the team a lot of confidence. He has grown so much since he was a freshman. He is definitely ready for the big games and he was phenomenal tonight."