York Hockey Club’s junior varsity squad ended finals exam week with a decisive 4-0 victory over the Sandburg Eagles High School Hockey Club on Friday evening. The game extended the team’s current win streak to six straight and strengthened York’s hold on first place in the Illinois High School Hockey League West Division by improving the team’s league record to 16-1-2.

The Dukes jumped out to an early lead when sophomore Scott Blair gathered the puck in the defensive zone and found Freshman Tom Albin with a break-out pass. Albin chipped the puck to junior Zack Johnson who carried the puck deep in the zone before launching a wrist shot for the goal.

York failed to capitalize on a number of additional scoring opportunities and relied on strong play from freshman Shane Cassidy in net to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard. The first and second periods ended with York clinging to a 1-0 lead.

In the third period, the Dukes broke loose when sophomore defenseman AJ Orlando passed the puck to freshman Kyle Spiller in the slot. Spiller deposited a backhand shot in the back of the net for the Dukes second goal.

Later in the third period sophomore Anthony Trankina picked up the puck in the neutral zone and carried it deep into the Sandburg zone. Trankina circled low and around the net before lighting the lamp with a high backhand shot.

York closed out the game when freshman Jake McCreadie put a strong shot on net that the Eagles goalie was able to stop. Johnson put back the rebound for his league leading 23rd goal of the season.

Cassidy recorded 18 saves throughout the evening to earn the shut-out victory.

York Hockey Club will return to league play on January 1st with a Winter Classic outdoor game against Wheaton West at the YMCA rink in Elmhurst at 7:10 p.m.