The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Icers take on state's best
Bulldogs also clinch league title with win over Lincoln
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: February 16, 2006
Chelsea hockey took on some of the state's best teams last weekend at the Michigan High School Hockey Showcase Tournament in Trenton.
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The event invited 30 of the top squads from throughout the state to compete in its two-day frozen pond extravaganza.
The Bulldogs (14-6-2), ranked No. 3 in the state in Division III, concluded the tournament, a little worse for the wear, with consecutive defeats, but standing tall, after going toe-to-toe with two of Michigan's best teams.
"It was good to play tough competition," said Chelsea coach Don Wright. "It's always a good learning experience for the players. They now understand they can play with anyone."
Indeed.
To open the tournament, the Bulldogs lost to Novi, ranked No. 10 in Division II, 5-1 last Friday.
Of the Wildcats' five goals, three came on the power play. For the game, Novi was 3-of-6 with the man-advantage. In contrast, Chelsea finished 1-of-9 on the power play.
"It was a frustrating game," Wright said. "The difference in the game was special teams. Novi produced, and we didn't. Their penalty killers did a good job. We didn't react to their pressure with the right reads. We weren't getting quality scoring chances (on power play)."
The Bulldogs started out strong, as senior defenseman Ryan Ruikka scored unassisted on the power play at 12:57 of the first period.
Less than a minute later, however, the Wildcats answered, scoring and tying the game at 1-1 with a goal at the 13:38 mark of the opening period.
"That was a strange goal," Wright said. "It (puck) hopped up in the air and flipped up into the goal."
In the second period, both teams battled for every loose puck and for every inch of ice, until at 14:14, Novi scored its first of three power-play goals, taking a 2-1 lead and momentum into the third period.
"We had several opportunities and we didn't score," Wright said. "We had them two men short and didn't score. Their goal, with less than a minute to go, hurt. That was disheartening."
In the third period, it was all Wildcats.
Novi scored at 3:07 of the period, followed by consecutive power-play goals at 7:28 and 10:04 of the frame, respectively, for the game's final margin.
While the Wildcats were a tough unit, they had nothing on Chelsea's opponent last Saturday. East Kentwood, a suburb of Grand Rapids, is arguably the best team on the west side of the state. A traditionally powerful club, the Falcons' program produced NHL and U.S. Olympic hockey player Mike Knuble.
In a hard-fought contest, the Bulldogs fell 4-2 to East Kentwood, ranked No. 5 in Division I.
"East Kentwood is a school that has four lines of great players," Wright said. "I felt good about our effort. It was 2-2 with four minutes to go."
After a scoreless first period, the Falcons' Tyler Copeland scored a power-play goal at 2:05 of the second stanza.
Less than a minute later, East Kentwood's Eric Alexander upped the Falcons' advantage to 2-0, scoring on a power play.
After Alexander's goal, Wright called a timeout to settle down his squad.
"I thought we were playing well," he said. "I told the guys we were doing fine. We outplayed them the rest of the period. We were getting (scoring) chances."
At the 8:47 mark of the second period, Chelsea's Taylor Hooper scored off an assist from C.J. Cogswell and David Maveal, cutting the Falcons' lead to 2-1, and giving the Bulldogs a much-needed boost heading into the final period.
In the third period, Chelsea tied the score at 2-2, as Schyler Williams turned the light on off an assist from Luc Daniels at the 6:32 mark of the frame.
At the 10:50 mark of the third period, Alexander scored, vaulting East Kentwood back on top, at 3-2.
"We got caught behind the net, and Alexander shelved it," Wright said.
With 15 seconds, and the Bulldogs' goalie pulled, the Falcons' James Holt scored an empty net goal for the contest's final margin.
Despite the setback, Wright said his team played hard.
"It was a great game," he said. "It was the type of game, as we get close to the (state) playoffs, will help us."
East Kentwood out-shot the Bulldogs 24-23 for the day.
On Feb. 8, visiting Chelsea defeated Ypsilanti Lincoln 11-0 in a mercy-rule shortened game.
With the win, the Bulldogs clinched the Southeastern Conference White Division championship.
"We were able to take care of business," Wright said.
Chelsea led 6-0 after one period.
Ruikka opened the scoring, hitting the back of the net 51 seconds into the game. Mike Bazydlo recorded an assist on the play for the Bulldogs.
Hooper made it 2-0 with a goal at 1:59 of the first period. Matt Perry and Maveal assisted on the play.
Williams scored a power-play goal at 7:40 of the opening stanza off an assist from Eric Cremer and Perry.
Less than a minute later, Matt Heinen scored, upping Chelsea's advantage to 4-0. James Cogswell and Perry picked up assists on the play for the Dawgs.
Cremer scored at the 10:48 mark of the first period off an assist from Daniels and Williams.
Kyle George increased Chelsea's lead to 6-0, beating the Railsplitter net minder at 12:42 of the first frame. Nick Biciocchi and Heinen recorded assists for the Bulldogs.
In the second period, Williams scored his second goal of the night off an assist from Ruikka.
C.J. Cogswell made it 8-0 Chelsea, scoring less than a minute later. Jason Aguirre and Hooper assisted on the goal for the Bulldogs.
At 7:59 of the second stanza, Bazydlo scored for Chelsea. Austin Feeney and George assisted on the play.
Cremer scored unassisted at the 11:45 mark of the second period.
Jake Vaughan ended the scoring with a goal at the 12:29 mark of the second frame. Bazydlo picked up an assist for Chelsea on the goal.
With Vaughan's goal, the game was ended due to the 10-goal mercy rule.
Earning the shutout in net for the Bulldogs was goaltender Zach Leszczynski.
Chelsea out-shot Lincoln 35-6.
The Bulldogs next host Plymouth in their season finale 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Chelsea will celebrate Senior Night.
On Feb. 27, the Bulldogs will host a Division III state playoff pre-regional tournament at the Arctic Coliseum. Chelsea will open the playoffs taking on Jackson Lumen Christi at 5 p.m.
Following at 7:30 p.m., will be Dexter against New Boston Huron.
On March 1, the two winners will meet at 6 p.m. The victor will then advance to the regional final March 4 at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
The winner of the Chelsea pre-regional will face off against the champion of the pre-regional that includes Dearborn Divine Child, Allen Park St. Francis Cabrini, Dearborn Heights Crestwood and Birmingham Detroit Country Day.
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