Saturday, February 28, 2004

URBANDALE, Iowa - Joshua Marean’s first period power-play goal was the only one that crossed the net as the Des Moines Oak Leafs tripped the Sioux City Metros 1-0 in the first round of the Iowa High School Hockey League state tournament Friday afternoon.

Tyler Carter was credited with the assist on the goal, which was scored at the 7:09 mark of the first period.

Sioux City (20-8-1-1), the defending IHSHL state champion, was shut out for only the second time this season. In fact, it was the first shutout since the Metros fell 3-0 to Omaha during the season-opener on November 1st.

The fourth-seeded Metros were blanked despite a 47-38 shots on goal advantage. In fact, fifth-seeded Des Moines (21-10-0) was outshot 37-20 over the final two periods.

The Oak Leafs successfully stopped a pair of Metros power play chances in the second period.

“Things were rolling wide to the post,” said Metros co-coach Jeff Gray. “We played well in the second period and very well in the third, but we couldn’t find the back of the net. We had several chances, but didn’t capitalize."

"Alex (Lukehart) had a chance 30 seconds into the game, but it went off the cross bar,” he added. “On several shots, the goalie fumbled them looking around for it but we couldn’t jump it on the rebound.”

This was a rematch of last season’s championship game, a 5-4 triple-overtime win for the Metros.

In other first-round games Friday at Urbandale's Metro Sports Ice Arena, third-seeded Mason City whipped Waterloo 6-2, seventh-seeded Kansas City upset second-seeded Omaha 2-1 in two overtimes and the Des Moines Capitals beat Ames 2-1.

The Metros will face Ames in a consolation game at 9:45 a.m. today.