start to finish. Facing sustained pressure — including being outshot in the state semifinal and tested repeatedly in the title game — Iacurci was unflappable, turning away chances and holding firm against Ignatius’ relentless attack. A key part of Gilmour’s success all season, Iacurci appeared in 21 games, posting a 1.44 goals-against average, a .944 save percentage and five shutouts, even adding an assist. Against some of the team’s toughest competition, his consistency and composure anchored the Lancers’ postseason run — none more so than in the state championship, where his presence in goal proved decisive. STATE CHAMPIONS. As impressive as the team’s on-ice
performance was, those around the program say the chemistry within the group was just as remarkable.
36–1. AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN GOALS PER GAME. AT ONE POINT, MAXPREPS.COM'S NO. 1 TEAM IN THE NATION. The numbers alone tell a powerful story about Gilmour’s 2026 Varsity A hockey team. From the first puck drop of the season, the Lancers established themselves as one of the most dominant teams in the country — overwhelming opponents with speed, precision and relentless teamwork. But the true measure of this team went beyond statistics. Along the way, the Lancers faced their share of challenges, including their only loss of the season just before Christmas — to St. Ignatius — that only sharpened their focus for the rest of the season. Asked about it by Jeff Svoboda of BlueJackets.com, forward Zack Cox ’26 shared “I haven’t really met a team where that one loss has put so much feel into us. It was my phone background for probably the last three months where every day I just looked and thought, never again will I let them get that feeling of beating the Lancers.” The road to the state championship included one of the most memorable moments of the year: a dramatic quadruple-overtime victory over University School in the regional final. Moments into the fourth overtime, Cox buried the game-winning goal, sending Gilmour to the Frozen Four. On March 14, in the state semifinal, Gilmour defeated Northview High School of Sylvania, Ohio 4–0 to advance to the OHSAA state championship game — where they would meet St. Ignatius for the title . The championship game began with an early jolt when the Wildcats scored just a minute into the contest. But the Lancers quickly regained control. Forward Teddy Frizzie ’26 evened the score, and defenseman John Primiano ’26 gave Gilmour the lead late in the first period. From there, the Lancers took command. Forward Alex Lazuka ’27 extended the lead to 3–1, though Ignatius briefly pulled within one goal in the third period. The Lancers responded almost immediately. Just 28 seconds later, forward Ben Slifko ’26 restored the two-goal cushion, and Frizzie sealed the victory with an empty-net goal to make it 5–2. But the final score only told part of the story. In net, Donato Iacurci ’26 delivered a championship performance that steadied the Lancers from
During preseason, head coach John Malloy said the team’s talent was obvious — but what stood out even more was its selflessness. This was a group committed to putting the team ahead of individual accolades. That culture translated into remarkable cohesion on the ice and genuine friendships off it. “I’m so proud of the entire team,” forward Brady Panteck ’26 said after the championship in his interview with Svoboda. “They’re such a great group. We got along so well, and I think that’s really what brought us together and helped with our success.” He continued, “Every weekend we didn’t have a game, every time we didn’t have practice, we were with each other, whether it was getting food or doing a team activity.” Those bonds are exactly what Malloy hopes to build a team. A captain on Miami University’s first varsity hockey team in 1978–79, Malloy has been coaching since the early 1980s and is Ohio’s winningest coach. He was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. Yet his measure of success extends far beyond the scoreboard. He cares about the development of his players as good people. At the Convocation recognizing the team's state championship, Blake Baskin '26 shared that before every practice, Coach Malloy would ask players what nice thing they had done for someone else that day. “I’ll tell you how good this team will be in 20 years,” Malloy said in an interview with Fox 8’s John Sabol just before the team headed to Columbus for the Frozen Four. “If they’re still friends, if they’re still talking to each other and if they still love each other as teammates and brothers, then I did a good job coaching — whether we win or lose.” For the 2026 Lancers, the season produced the perfect outcome: a championship and a brotherhood to match.
To see the news story Fox 8 aired on the Lancers the night before they left for Columbus, scan the QR code.
Gilmour | SPRING 2026
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