The top-seeded teams — CBC and Lutheran South — survived the first round of the Mid-States Club Hockey Association championships and now it’s on to the second round for all the clubs that won.

In the Challenge Cup playoffs, the first-round winners were: CBC, DeSmet, Vianney, Chaminade, Oakville, Marquette and St. Louis University High.

CBC swept Francis Howell North 7-1 and 2-0 to advance. DeSmet ousted Lafayette 4-0 and 2-1 in its opening series.

In the second round, CBC faces DeSmet. Action begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 9) at Queeny Park.

Coach John Jost said he was pleased his Cadets advanced. However, he cautioned CBC needs to play a little better.

“I thought in the first game, we came out ready to go and played very well,” Jost said. “In the second game, I thought we lack a little intensity. Our youth came out a little in game No. 2.”

Sophomore goalie Joe Staely and junior goaltender Joe O’Brien drew praise from Jost for their roles in helping CBC prevail.

“I thought our goalies and defense were outstanding in both games,” Jost said. “Our captain, Matt Sieckhaus, really took over in particular the first game, which is good to see as he is a senior.”

Jost said his club benefitted from the series.

“Yes, it was a good test for us,” Jost said. “Howell North is a very good team, which is why they won the St. Charles Division.”

Now, CBC plays DeSmet, the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

“I think the seeding does not reflect how good of a series this will be,” Jost said. “DeSmet is much better than a No. 8 seed. I think both teams are excited for the challenge. It will be an outstanding series.”

The two squads met three times during the regular season. CBC won all three games by scores of 5-1, 2-0 and 3-1.

“We won but all were very close,” Jost said. “Two of them could have went either way.”

Regardless, Jost said he is expecting DeSmet to come in with the mindset to win the series. So, Jost knows what his Cadets must do to advance.

“We will need our goaltending and defense to continue to play consistently and get offense from all three lines,” Jost said.

Vianney eliminated Westminster Christian Academy. Vianney lost the series opener 4-3 but won the second game 6-4. In the mini-game to decide who advances, Vianney won 2-1. Chaminade sent MICDS home for the winter. The Red Devils won the opener 2-1 and then took the series with a 3-2 victory.

Vianney meets Chaminade in the second round. The series begins Friday (Feb. 10) with an 8:45 p.m. game at Webster Groves.

Chaminade coach Matt Hrubes said his club did just enough to win the opening series.

“We played well enough to win the series,” Hrubes said. “We still need work on playing the full 45 minutes and minimize the letdowns.”

What helped the Red Devils was how well  they played a defense-minded game in the series, Hrubes said.

“They made a committment to a defense-first mentality and it paid off,” Hrubes said.

Playing MICDS in first round was good for his squad.

“It was the best test we could have had and will only make us better for the next series,” Hrubes said. “MICDS is very well coached and gave us everything they had and then some.”

The short time to get ready for Vianney is not a bid deal, Hrubes said.

“We have been preparing for this all season long no matter who our opponent is,” Hrubes said. “Both teams know each other pretty well. There are strengths and weaknesses on both sides. Whoever works the hardest and makes the fewest mistakes will come out on top.”

During the regular season, Chaminade won three of four matchups with Vianney.

“They beat us in the last game of the season and that really got our players’ attention,” Hrubes said. “It was a big-time wakeup call.”

The way to advance in the playoffs for the Red Devils by getting Vianney is not complicated, Hrubes said.

“We have to outwork Vianney, who is a very hard-working team,” Hrubes said. “If we outwork them for 45 minutes each game and make good decisions with the puck, we hope to control our own destiny. We do not want to get beat by their best players. “I know our guys are not ready for the season to end and they want this badly as any team I have coached over my 16 years here.”

Oakville topped Eureka twice by 6-1 and 7-1 margins. Lindbergh got by Kirkwood 4-1 in the first game of their series but lost the second game 2-1 before moving on by winning in a shootout.

Oakville plays Lindbergh at 7 p.m. Thursday at South County.

Marquette slipped past Summit. The Mustangs won the opener 4-3 but lost the second game 4-1. However, the Mustangs won in a shootout to advance to the second round. St. Louis University High whipped Pattonville 8-1 and 5-2 to advance.

Marquette squares off against St. Louis University High at 8 p.m. Friday at Affton.

Mustangs coach Ryan Kane said his club had a tough test in the opening round.

“We faced off against a very tough opponent in Rockwood Summit, who had a great season,” Kane said. “They are a tough team and we had to play some great hockey to beat them. The first game of the series was a close one, but we stepped up our game and came away with the victory. I felt that we played well and our compete level was very high.

“We were a little flat in the second game of the series. I do not feel that we played well, but Summit contributed to that lack of success with their sense of urgency. They outworked us in a lot of areas and played with more intensity.”

That second-game loss forced the extra game to decide who would advance. A minigame is a 10-minute contest that is played immediately afterward. If there is no score, then a shootout is held.

“We bounced back quickly,” Kane said. “In Game 3, we dominated play, but could not score. I was very proud of our boys because they did not get down, they brushed off the Game 2 loss, which was not easy to do, and found a whole new level of play for Game 3.”

In the shootout, junior Nick Nast and senior Kevin Gregory put the puck away for Marquette. Junior goaltender Michael Robinson stopped two of the three Rockwood Summit shooters to secure the win for the Mustangs.

“It was an electric atmosphere during the entire series which made the win even more memorable,” Kane said. “This series was a great test for the character of our hockey team. It was an opportunity to push the level of our play to a point where we could be competitive moving forward.

“Our season was very inconsistent and we couldn’t find our game, but during this series, we came together and found some much needed chemistry.”

Now the No. 10-seeded Mustangs face No. 2-ranked SLUH in the second round.

“Many would argue that despite the No. 2 ranking, SLUH is the most talented team in Mid-States this season and has the best chance to win state,” Kane said. “The only people that think we have a chance to win this series are wearing blue and green jerseys. We are the underdogs, but we know that if we stick to the game plan and outwork SLUH, we can and will beat them.”

The two clubs met almost two months ago with SLUH scoring a 9-2 victory. It’s not a game Kane likes to remember.

“It was not pretty and was a good wake-up call to our players about what it will take the beat the top teams this season,” Kane said. “I think that game can work to our advantage. We are a different team now than we were then and they could very well take us lightly.”

To prevail in this series, Kane said the Mustangs “will need to outwork SLUH and play a very intelligent game.”

Kane said he has discussed what needs to be done by his squad.

“We have a plan and we need to commit to it,” Kane said. “I think our special teams need to get hot during this series as well as our goalie, Michael Robinson. It will be a great challenge to beat SLUH, but I know we are up for it and have faith in the heart and tenacity of our players.”

In the Wickenhauser Cup playoffs, the first-round winners were: Lutheran South, Holt, Seckman, Fort Zumwalt East, Francis Howell Central, Duchesne, Whitfield and Fort Zumwalt West.

Lutheran South eliminated Parkway North 8-1 and 9-2. Wentzville Holt stopped Northwest, winning 2-1 in a shootout. Holt won the opener 5-1 but lost the second game 4-2.

Lutheran South faces Holt at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Lindenwood to begin second-round action.

Seckman got by Timberland by winning 4-0 in the first game and tying 1-1 in the second. Fort Zumwalt East ousted Clayton 10-4 and 5-2 in the first round.

Seckman plays Fort Zumwalt East with the series beginning at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at the Rec-Plex South.

Francis Howell Central eliminated Priory 6-0 and 6-1. Duchense beat Francis Howell 4-2 but lost the second game 6-2. In the minigame, Duchesne won 1-0 to move on.

Francis Howell Central meets Duschesne beginning at 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Rec-Plex South.

Whitfield, last year’s Founders Cup champion, moved up this season and won its first-round series. The Warriors tied Parkway South 4-4 in the opener but won the decisive second game 3-1. Fort Zumwalt West defeated Fort Zumwalt North by 4-1 scores in each game.

Whitfield meets Fort Zumwalt North at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Hardees Ice Plex.

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