High School Ice Hockey:
Becker Leads Vikings Over Shawnee

Monday, November 1, 1999

By Mike Costantino
SJSports Staff Writer

Mike Becker notched a hat trick, but it was his hustle to break up a 2-on-1 to preserve the shutout that stood out as Eastern defeated Shawnee 10-0 at the Coliseum on Monday night. Although goalie Mike Keppler faced only seven shots, Shawnee had the odd man rush and only Becker's hustle from end -to end kept them off the scoreboard. John Schellenhammer scored the first of his two goals on the power play and the Vikings led 1-0.

With Eastern so dominant and Shawnee unable to muster any offense, they only had one shot in the period. Mike Cianfrani scored a short-handed goal with about three minutes left in the period and it was 2-0. Shawnee's game plan seemed to be to hit Cianfrani at every opportunity to try and slow him down, but that strategy didn't work. Schellenhammer made it 3-0 scoring early in the second period and two minutes later the Vikings hard work behind the net paid off. Cianfrani passed the puck to Adam Esfahani who circled around and got off a backhand shot. Bob Ianni rammed home the rebound to make it 4-0.

Becker's speed would lead to his first goal as he motored end to end and scored with six minutes left to make it 5-0. One minute later Brett Picciotti tallied and it was 6-0. Becker tallied once again in the last minute and the lead grew to 7-0. With a continuous running clock in the third period, Becker, Mike Purwin and Cianfrani would close out the scoring.

Photos by Art Redd