The Ramblers earned the #1 seed in the state tournament, outscored their opponents 17-2 over four postseason games and dodged 14-time champions New Trier, who were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
But there's something else this Loyola team has to separate them from Ramblers of the past: Goalie and SHL Player of the Year Hugh Brady.
"Hugh Brady's been a difference maker all year. Close to 50 wins on the season so far," Co-Coach Blake Sorensen said.
Brady stopped 14 shots against Glenbrook North and was mobbed by his teammates when Loyola locked up a trip to the state championship. He looks to lead the Ramblers to a different result in 2018, after Loyola Gold lost back-to-back championship games in 2009 and 2010, falling to state juggernauts New Trier and St. Rita.
The Ramblers will face Stevenson this year, the #3 seed in the state tournament and a team looking for a state championship in their first trip to the United Center.
The focus will be on the goaltenders, Brady will matchup with Stevenson's talented netminder, the Swedish-born Elias Sandholm.
"From my perspective, it will be an opportunity for Hugh to rise to the occasion," Sorensen said. "Our plan is to keep them to the outside and limit their opportunities."
The Stevenson Patriots feel pretty good about having Sandholm playing behind them.
"He's huge for our confidence," captain Michael Dowd said. "We can always rely on our goaltender."
With a 30-9-1 record this season, Sandholm has been the model of consistency for Stevenson.
Sandholm helped guide his team to their current position with an 18-save performance in the semifinals against a talented Glenbrook South team. The outing gives him 63 saves thus far through the four games of their playoff run.
A native of Sweden, and former netminder for Värmdö HC, Sandholm is finishing up his inaugural season with Stevenson after a move to the United States just a few months ago.
Tom Wood, the Patriots head coach, took notice of the decorated goalie when his father moved the Sandholm family to Stevenson's district for his job.
"I knew this kid played a high level of hockey so we brought him in for a workout with our goalie coach," Wood said. "We put him on a shot machine that usually tears up other goalies his age, but he was stopping the majority of the pucks and was frustrated he didn't stop more."
Sandholm would go on to account for 951 saves this season while notching a .931 save percentage.
Both he and Brady's play earned Scholastic Hockey League recognition. Sandholm was named second-team All-SHL, while the goalie playing opposite him on March 24 was named to the first team.
"He's number one for a reason," Sorensen noted following Loyola's victory in the semifinals.
Despite the talented opposition, Wood remained confident in Sandholm ahead of Saturday's game.
"He is the best goalie in the state," Wood said. "The best goalie I've ever coached."
