Every hockey coach is part mad scientist, shifting personnel around and mixing lines all season until the best possible team is put out on the ice.

Loyola coach Scott Ciraulo and his coaching staff have left the lab, and Loyola Gold looks like the best incarnation of itself at the exact right time of year.

“In the past six or seven games we’ve been doubling other teams’ stats. We’ve been playing incredible,” Loyola’s Charlie Baine said. “We’re definitely peaking at the right time. We’ve been hanging out more as a team and that has made us realize that we all have to buy in, especially at this time of year. That has really paid off.”

One of four SHL playoff quarterfinals played at American Heartland Ice Arena in Lincolnwood on Sunday, Loyola’s 6-1 win over Lake Forest sent the Gold team into the SHL semifinal round. Loyola won 4-2 over Lake Forest in Game One of the best-of-three series on Saturday and won in more resounding fashion Sunday.

“I think the kids really executed our strategy and it paid off,” Ciraulo said. “It’s good to see them buying in, playing hard, and getting a good result.

“I do think we’re playing our best hockey right now. We’ve had some ups and downs this season but we’re starting to roll. We’ve found some balance in our lineup and I really like the way things look right now. The boys are responding.”

Loyola led 3-0 after a period Sunday on goals from Thomas Macina, Jake Peraino, and Peter Lochnicki. It was 4-0 in the second period on Lochnicki’s second goal when Lake Forest’s Jackson Drum scored the Scouts’ lone goal on an assist from Demetri Fallidas.

Loyola struck twice more in the third on goals from Cole Joubert and DJ Long, and ultimately posted a 33-11 edge in shots for the game. 

In Saturday’s 4-2 win over Lake Forest, Loyola got goals from Baine, Lochnicki, Joubert, and Mikey Baker. Baine also had two assists in the win.

Lochnicki scored twice Sunday and when his game is on, it just gives Loyola another dangerously viable option with the postseason now in gear.

“Peter Lochnicki has really turned it up,” Baine said. “He had six or seven shots and two goals. He’s getting rewarded right now. And I thought Cole Joubert played great. He was incredible on the forecheck and he got rewarded, too.”

Baine was an all-SHL first-team pick this season after he put up 21 goals and 31 assists in regular-season play. Baine’s 52 points was second only to Glenbrook South’s Zack Freimuth’s 63 points (30 goals, 33 assists) in SHL play this season.

And beyond the offensive damage that players like Baine, Joubert, and another all-SHL forward in Liam Finegan can do, Loyola’s Macina-led line will continue to be key moving forward.

“Our Macina, Peraino, and DJ Long line — they had the first two (goals) for us today,” Ciraulo said. “(Macina) flew down on a really nice first goal and Jake Peraino had a real nice shot under the bar. What we’re looking for is balance and I think we’re starting to find that.”

Macina added two assists Sunday, Mack Klein had a pair of helpers, and Loyola also credited assists to Baine, Cooper Nelson, David Long, Chris Sipe, Mikey Baker, and Liam Finegan.

Lochnicki’s ceiling is also higher than high.

“He was out for the first half of the year and I’m really happy to see how well he’s doing,” Ciraulo said. “I think you can see how dangerous he can be. He’s got some special talent and when he’s playing our system, and supports, and plays with his linemates, he’s really dangerous.”

The goals figure to come for Loyola when it’s forecheck is humming and multiple players are getting involved offensively, and it never hurts to hold a team to 11 shots in a game, as Loyola did Sunday. Loyola’s back end is led by all-SHL defenseman Chris Sipe in front of an all-SHL goaltender in Charlie Trapp.

“We’ve been playing great and when we do give up shots, we know Trapp is right there and he’s been playing incredible,” Baine said.

Lake Forest got goals from Thomas Santaniello and Zach Shoemaker in Saturday’s loss, and one from Drum on Sunday. Shoemaker, Drum, and Fallidas had assists in Saturday’s game, and Fallidas assisted on Drum’s goal on Sunday.

In its second season in the SHL, Lake Forest went 15-15 in the toughest league in Illinois and earned its first berth in the SHL playoffs. The Scouts grew in toughness as the season progressed for coach Steve Sarauer and went 7-3 in SHL play in their final 10 games.

Drum, Shoemaker, Fallidas, Santaniello, and Andrew Marsch all scored double-digit goals during the SHL regular season, with Drum’s 19 goals and 18 assists giving him a team-leading 37 points.

Shoemaker (32 points) finished second in points during the regular season, followed by Fallidas (29), Marsch (26), and Santaniello (19).

Goaltenders Teddy Huddlestun (17 games) and Andrew Sommers (14 games) essentially split time in net this year for the Scouts.

Lake Forest opens state tournament play as the No. 8 seed in Illinois against No. 25 New Trier White on Feb. 14, and a win there would send the Scouts to a round of 16 game against the winner between No. 9 Evanston and No. 24 St. Ignatius Maroon.