Much like Icarus, the Clarkston varsity hockey team flew high this week? beating league arch-rival Birmingham United 4-0, on Dec. 9. But like the greek myth, the Wolves wings were melted shortly after taking flight by an upstart Troy team 3-2 on Dec. 11.
‘Birmingham was a big game, so emotionally we were into that game and we didn’t expect Troy,? said Coach Bryan Krygier. ‘We didn’t come to play. We were lazy and we didn’t work hard.?
The action of the past week has shown that the OAA Division I will be a dogfight all year long. Clarkston is still first in the league with a 4-1 record, but Troy is now 2-1 in the league and Birmingham is 1-1-1. Had the Wolves been able to close out Troy, they would have been in the OAA division I driver’s seat the rest of the season.
‘Even though we lost, it’s not necesarily a bad thing. (The Troy game) will teach us some things down the road,? said Krygier.
Troy and Clarkston next meet on Feb. 5.
While Troy was an obvious letdown for the Wolves, the loss does not erase the big win on Dec. 9 against Birmingham United, the team which tied Clarkston for the league title last year.
Clarkston put four goals past BU’s backup goalie, Rory Lincoln, who has been thrust into the starting lineup by an injury to starter Bobby Howe. In the end, the Wolves only needed one tally. Senior goalie Michael Brach turned in a gem stopping 25 BU shots for his second shutout of the season.
‘Brach came up with huge saves throughout the game. Basically he won the game for us,? said Krygier ‘We got a goal and he took it the rest of the way.?
If Brach had wilted at any time in the game he would have done so early in the second period.
A Wolves power play was drawing to a close when an elbowing penalty on Clarkston was compounded seconds later by a tripping penalty. The team found themselves on a 5 on 3 penalty kill. At that point Clarkston held a 2-0 lead and if not for Brach standing on his head multiple times to deflect the puck wide of the net, Birmingham could have easily tied the contest.
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‘We just couldn’t buy a goal tonight,? said BU Coach Steve McIntyre. ‘Clarkston’s a damn good team.?
Clarkston opened the scoring against BU, with 6:44 remaining in the first after weathering extensive pressure in their own zone.
Senior forward Mike Fogg took a pass from junior forward Kyle Chartrand, on a 2-on-1 break, and beat Lincoln stick side.
Chartrand got another helper in the second period as he whistled a pass from behind the net to senior defenseman Alex Handley, who was lurking in front of the crease and immediately whisked the puck into the net. Junior defensman Matt Prasil also assisted on Handley’s goal.
‘We play positional hockey. When we fill all three lanes with a player good things happen,? said Krygier.
That same positional hockey approach led to Clarkston’s third goal being scored in the same manner as the second. This time senior forward Bryan Morin put the biscuit in basket after taking senior forward Trevor Johns pass from behind the net. Junior forward Mike Medonis also assisted on Morin’s goal.
Chartrand finished the scoring for the Wolves with 3:59 remaining in the third period, the assist went to Fogg.
The Wolves are now 5-2 (4-1) and will host the Clarkston Christmas Tournament on Dec. 17-18. Livonia Stevenson, Davison and Cranbrook are the other schools participating.
Clarkston will play Cranbrook on Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. at the Detroit Skate Center.
‘They are a good hardworking team,? said Krygier.
The winner of the Clarkston-Cranbrook game will play Dec. 18 versus the winner of the Davison-Livonia Stevenson game.