In the Brandon hockey team’s Flint Metro League opener Dec. 18, the Blackhawks served notice they will be a team to be reckoned with.
Right wing Mike Cybulski notched a hat trick as the Blackhawks shut out Lapeer West 5-0. Center Mike Ross added a goal and four assists, while left wing Steve Tallman contributed a goal and two assists and defenseman Chris Nuccio three assists.
With the win, Brandon improved to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.
The Blackhawks scored two goals in the first to get the offense rolling. Cybulski scored his first goal 36 seconds in the action on assists from Ross and Nuccio. Tallman then scored at 11:44 of the first on assists from Cybulski and Ross.
Cybulski tallied his second goal of the game at 3:55 of the second period on assists from Ross and Nuccio. The Blackhawks wrapped up the scoring with two goals in the third. Ross scored at 12:40 of the third on assists from Tallman and Nuccio, and Cybulski completed his hat trick 18 seconds later on an assist from Ross.
Senior goalie David Hughes stopped 16 Lapeer West shots to earn the win for Brandon.
One day earlier, the Blackhawks earned a 6-4 win against White Lake Lakeland in non-league action. Ross tallied a hat trick to lead Brandon to the win.
Brandon got the scoring underway with two first-period goals. Ross scored at 12:10 of the first on assists from Tallman and defenseman Alex Hockey. Cybulski then added a goal at 14:42 of the first on an assist from Ross.
After Lakeland scored a goal early in the second period, the Blackhawks added three goals to take a commanding 5-1 lead. Ross scored his second goal of the game at 4:48 of the period on assists from Tallman and Cybulski; Matt Cinader scored an unassisted goal at 5:22 of the second; and Ross completed his hat trick at 14:15 of the period.
Despite Lakeland’s best efforts ? they scored three goals in the third period ? Brandon held on for the win. Cybulski added an insurance goal, his second of the game, on assists from Ross and Tallman, at 6:56 of the third.