The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Dawgs ice Mules, Titans
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: January 17, 2008
Despite falling behind 2-0 early in the first period, Chelsea hockey rallied to defeat host Temperance Bedford 6-4 at the Toledo Ice House last Saturday.
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To begin the game, Dan Clifford scored for the Mules at 6:38 of the first period for a 1-0 Bedford advantage.
Four minutes later, Jerrid Kujawa scored a power play goal for the Mules, increasing Bedford's lead to 2-0.
Though trailing early, Chelsea coach Don Wright remained calm.
"We had been carrying the play," he said. "We responded quickly."
Less than a minute after the Mules scored to make it 2-0, Bulldog junior Randy Cox turned the light on off an assist from senior Kyle George and sophomore Drew Brown closing the gap to 2-1.
One minute after Cox's goal, senior Garrett Nickels scored tying the game at 2-2 at 12:32 of the opening period. Picking up an assist on the play for Chelsea (7-4-2) were junior Ulrich Linnet and sophomore Ethan Johnson.
"In less than two minutes we scored back-to-back goals," Wright said. "We were playing well."
In the second period, Brown scored giving the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead at 11:14 of the frame. Senior Andy Korc and Cox recorded an assist on the goal for Chelsea.
At 14:30 of the second period, Korc scored a power play goal giving the Bulldogs a seemingly safe 4-2 advantage heading into the third frame.
The Mules, however, refused to quit.
One minute and four seconds into the third period, Nick Hintz scored for Bedford trimming Chelsea's lead to 4-3.
Three minutes later, Jesse Bachi scored an unassisted shorthanded goal tying the contest at 4-4.
The Bulldogs, as they did the entire game, regrouped and answered the Mules' run. During the same power play in which Bedford scored shorthanded, Nickels gave Chelsea the lead for good with a goal off an assist from senior Matt Heinen and senior Drew Dehring.
At 8:14 of the third period, Cox scored for the game's final margin. George and Brown assisted on the goal for the Bulldogs.
Chelsea out-shot Bedford 38-15 for the game.
Earning the win between the pipes for the Bulldogs was junior goaltender Joey Hume.
"We had a lot of chances (to score)," Wright said. "Their goaltender played well."
Wright said Chelsea has to learn to finish off opponents.
"We have to find a way to stop giving up goals in the third period," he said. "Every time, however, that they (Bedford) got back in it, we responded immediately. It was good to see other guys getting goals."
On Jan. 9, host Chelsea defeated Jackson Lumen Christi 5-2.
The Bulldogs exacted a bit of revenge after losing to the Titans 4-2 Dec. 8. In that game, Chelsea dominated play out-shooting Lumen Christi 35-10.
"I thought the first time we faced them we really outplayed them," Wright said. "We knew they'd be even stronger coming in (last week)."
The Bulldogs struck first as Brown scored on a power play for a 1-0 Chelsea lead at 6:30 of the first period. George and Cox picked up assists on the play for the Bulldogs.
In the second period, George scored a shorthanded goal off an assist from Cox at 11:32 of the stanza.
At 2:40 of the third period, Cody Cesarz scored for the Titans closing the gap to 2-1.
One minute later, Chelsea answered with a power play goal by Brown. Cox and George recorded an assist for the Bulldogs.
Lumen Christi continued skating hard and at 4:53 of the third period, Kurt Parker turned the lamp on bring the Titans closer at 3-2.
Halfway through the third period, with Lumen Christi riding high after Parker's goal, Chelsea found itself in a precarious position two men short in a 5-on-3 Titan power play.
Instead of folding to the pressure, the Bulldogs hung tight and fought off the Lumen Christi power play holding onto their lead.
"We did a nice job," Wright said. "That was an important moment in the game."
At 12:35 of the third period, Cox scored a power play goal for Chelsea upping its advantage to 4-2.
With a minute left in the game, Brown scored for the night's final margin. Cox and George assisted on the play for the Bulldogs.
Special teams were key for Chelsea against the Titans. The Bulldogs scored three power play goals and one shorthanded goal.
"We only scored one even-handed goal," Wright said.
Chelsea out-shot Lumen Christi 29-18 for the contest.
Hume picked up the win in net for the Bulldogs.
"It was a game where we were in control," Wright said. "We still need to improve on giving up goals in the third period. We have to close the door. We're playing pretty well. We have to not let teams back in the game."
Chelsea next hosts Ann Arbor Pioneer Saturday at 7 p.m.
On Jan. 25, the Bulldogs travel to Howell for a game at Grand Oaks Arena at 6:50 p.m.
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