Jacey ties Donovan on rebound, assists on game-winner
By: Justin Feil
The Montgomery High ice hockey team split its two meetings with Monsignor Donovan in the regular season. The Cougars won the first game, 5-2, then lost the teams’ second meeting, 5-1. It seemed only natural that there be a grudge game.
That game came on a higher stage, in the first round of the New Jersey Interscholastic Hockey League Southern Division playoffs Friday at Ice Land.
"For the whole team, we’ve been together since freshman year, and this was our first playoff game ever," said MHS junior Jon Jacey. "We had good feelings. I wouldn’t say we were nervous. We knew what we had to do."
The Cougars came out flying with two early goals to take a 2-0 lead before Monsignor Donovan proved it wouldn’t be that easy. Donovan scored the next three goals to take a 3-2 lead into the third period.
"When they got one back, it changed the game," said MHS head coach Yury Tarnavskyj. "They got right back into it. In the first game, it was 2-2 going into the third period and we just exploded. We came out with that same determination in the third period (Friday). That first one was our first win of the season. We saw we had a chance and we went for it."
Friday, the stakes were higher, and the Cougars responded just as well. Jacey knocked in a rebound to tie the game, 3-3, and then assisted on Mark Fedak’s third goal of the game in a 4-3 win. The victory puts Montgomery in the NJIHL Southern Division semifinal against South Brunswick 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at ProSkate.
"Usually we come out pretty strong," Jacey said. "We got two quick ones (Friday) and we could have extended the lead, but we weren’t finishing on our power play. We had chance to increase the lead. Then they got a few goals. Once they got that third one, a little wind got knocked out of our sails. We knew what we had to do and we regrouped in the locker room."
Jacey did his job in positioning himself perfectly for the game-tying goal. It was something he’s been working on lately.
"The last few practices, Coach was emphasizing for me to not be too close to the net," he said. "I have a tendency to be too close to the net and I get out of position for rebounds. If I was any closer, I probably wouldn’t have gotten it."
"It was a big goal," said Tarnavskyj, whose team improved to 12-9-1 overall. "When we went out for the third period, we went out to get even first. And he helped do that."
He also was playing his position perfectly on the game-winner. J.D. Hurley worked the puck free in the corner, ran it around the boards to Jacey, who centered it to a cutting Fedak. It’s the kind of teamwork that’s developed on MHS’ top scoring line. The three have been together for two seasons now.
"We know where each other’s going to be," said Jacey, who has 15 goals and 21 assists. "That’s what helped out on the game-winning goal. I knew if I put it out there, he’d be there to get it."
Jacey and the Cougars are hoping to continue their success not just against South Brunswick, a team they have not beaten, but also when they open the state tournament. It will be the first appearance for the Cougars in four seasons. They are seeded 36th and face 29th seed Nutley in a game that must be completed by Monday. With a win, they would face fourth-seeded Morris Knolls.
"I don’t think they know us," Tarnavskyj said. "They could have seeded us higher, but it doesn’t matter. We’re glad to be there and we’ll play whomever."
MHS will enter the state tournament on the heels of its NJIHL playoffs, the perfect sort of experience and tune-up to the state tournament. Jacey is hoping the Cougars can build off a NJIHL run and duplicate that success in the state tournament.
"Everyone thinks that in our division we have a chance to win this thing," he said. "We have South Brunswick coming up. Monsignor Donovan beat them. We’ve played every team and we’ve beaten every team in the division except South Brunswick. We’ll go with our game plan and hopefully win. As for states, none of us have been in them before, but our expectations are high. We think we can win a few rounds.
"We have a lot of new additions this year. In the past, we had maybe one or two solid lines. This year, all our lines are solid. Anyone can do it. We definitely think we have a chance to win."
Jacey will be all the more important against South Brunswick because he’s the type of big body that the Cougars need to slow down the speedy Viking attack, and to use at the offensive end to create space.
"I see my job as being the one who stands in front or goes in the corner and gets the puck out," said Jacey, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 190 pounds. "I got greater satisfaction when I gave Mark that pass to win the game (than his own goal). J.D. went in one corner and I went in the other and we found Mark. Coach has said that he wanted me to step it up and send a message."
And Jacey has helped the Cougars send quite a signal that they’re done being the pushovers of a year ago. MHS won just twice, but returned plenty of guys like Jacey who have been in major roles for at least one season. Jacey has started since he was a freshman.
"Guys are getting more serious," Tarnavskyj said. "They’re working harder and the dedication shows. It’s a long shot from last year when we won two games. Jacey’s been a regular all along. He’s a big boy and a pretty good skater. He’s been playing a supporting role on that line, whether it means putting in a rebound or burying a shot. He was off the far post in position to score (Friday), just what we were talking about.
"I think he’s progressed," he added. "Like several others, he’s matured. He’s bigger, stronger and faster. And he makes some good passes as well."
The one that found Fedak cutting to the goal was the biggest pass yet for the Cougars. It gives them another shot at South Brunswick, a different sort of grudge game in which the stakes are sky-high again with a NJIHL finals appearance on the line, and a perfect chance to prepare for the upcoming state tournament. A comeback win over Monsignor Donovan may have been just the thing to jumpstart a big MHS run.
"Throughout the year, when we’ve scored, we tended to let down a little because we had a little cushion," Jacey said. "When they took the lead, no one wanted it to end like this. I think everyone got the message and we took it to them in the third period."
With that finish, the Cougars picked up their first playoff win, the first of many, they hope.

