ST. PETERS • The team may not look or play exactly the same, but the goal remains steadfast for the Howell Central hockey team.
Last year, Howell Central used dynamic scoring and rock solid defense in winning the Mid-States Club Hockey Association (MSCHA) Challenge Cup title.
This year, the Spartans are taking a more workmanlike approach and it is paying off.
The latest case-in-point came Monday as the Spartans -- the No. 3 seeded team in this season's Wickenheiser Cup tournament -- used that team effort to win 6-1 at the Rec-Plex and sweep No. 14 Priory out of the playoffs.
"Just because you beat a team the first time in the playoffs, doesn't mean they're going to lie down," Howell Central's Brandon Olson said. "You just have to keep going. Take it to them in the second game (to end the series)."
Just 41 seconds into the game, Howell Central (13-9-1) took the game to Priory (6-16-1).
That's when Mitch Miller knocked the puck past Priory goaltender T.J. Niemann to open the scoring.
Brennan Anderson and Brendan Martak earned assists on the goal.
"We don't have the skill players we had last season," Howell Central coach Tom Mueller said. "What we do have is a great group of kids that really want to work hard. They all want to do well and (because of that) they play at both ends of the ice. We don't have as many snipers as we used to, but they get their goals by going hard to the net."
Just 99 seconds later, Howell Central tallied the eventual game-winner as Chris Sesti set up Louis Braun to make it 2-0.
While the Spartans were finding the back of the net, Howell Central goaltender Austin Eckert was busy keeping the puck out of his.
Late in the first period, Priory's Alec Atkinson had the puck on his stick and nothing but Eckert down on his knees between the Priory forward and the gaping net.
A quick move later, the puck was in the corner and the Spartans were out of danger.
"It was (developing) cross-crease," Eckert said. "I just went over toward the player he could try to pass to and I just got my glove on it somehow."
Howell Central got its offense going and struck early in the second period, as well, as Blake Sneed set Sesti up 1:18 into the period for the 3-0 lead.
"We lost to a few teams this year that we thought we were going to beat," Sesti said. "We know (from those experiences) that we have got to come out strong. We want to keep playing this season and we have got to go out and work hard and get the job done."
Anderson scored off a Martak assist with 4:43 left in the second period to give Howell Central the 4-0 lead.
The shutout for the game, and the series for that matter, wouldn't last as Brayton Briggs got a slap shot by Eckert with 1:37 gone in the third period to get the Rebels back to within 4-1.
"That's usually what I do when I'm parked on the point," Briggs said. "Just wind up and slap because with the traffic in front of the net, there's nothing the goalie can do. This was tough. We have a smaller squad and you have freshmen and sophomores and you're going up against seniors. It's not easy."
Olson and Andrew Oliver added third period goals and Howell Central rolled to the five-goal victory.
Howell Central outshot Priory 34-19.
The win puts the Spartans into the quarterfinal round against Duchesne, the No. 11 seed in the Wick Cup tournament.
Duchesne already has a series upset win over Francis Howell to its credit. The Pioneers have also already tied Howell Central once this season.
"Duchesne really finished strong at the end of the season," Mueller said. "They're well-coached. Coach Rupp has done a great job with that group. They're a bunch of hard working kids."
