Brandon’s varsity hockey team took part in a couple of thrillers within a four-day span.
In their most recent matchup Saturday, Dec. 17 against Lapeer West at the Polar Palace in Lapeer, Brandon’s Steve Cybulski scored the game-winning goal with 7:51 left in overtime as the Blackhawks pulled out a 6-5 victory.
With the win, the Blackhawks improved to 4-3 overall and 2-0 in Flint Metro League action.
Cybulski’s goal came on an assist from Matt Cinader, who also scored four goals in the game.
Cinader scored the first Brandon goal of the game on assists from Kyle Doan and Nick Foren with 12:56 left in the first. The Panthers scored later in the first to tie the game at one, but Chris Nelson scored for the Blackhawks on an assist from Blake McLellan to put Brandon up 2-1 as the first period game to a close.
In the second period, Alex Gebhart, Casey Cook and Jared Smith scored for Lapeer West to put the Panthers up 4-2, but Cinader scored a pair of unassisted goals later in the period, one on a power play goal and one even-strength goal, as the Blackhawks tied the contest at four.
Lapeer West’s Garry Young scored his second goal of the game with 12:03 left in the third period as the Panthers reclaimed the lead, 5-4, but Cinader scored his fourth goal of the game on assists from Troy Nuccio and McLellan with 7:51 left in the third, setting up Cybulski’s last-minute heroics.
Brandon goalie Glen Kendrick stopped 30-of-35 shots (85.7 percent) in net for the Blackhawks.
Despite a hat trick by Cinader, the Blackhawks came up on the short end of a nip-and-tuck game Wednesday, Dec. 14, losing 5-4 to Durand at the Polar Palace.
Just 54 seconds into the game, Cinader scored his first goal of the game, an unassisted tally, that put the Blackhawks up 1-0. However, the Railroaders scored two goals later in the period, one by Derek Gunsell with 5:11 left, and the other by Kyle Fiebernitz with 22.8 seconds left, to take a 2-1 lead at the end of the first.
The Blackhawks tied things up at two with 12:07 left in the second period, as Cinader scored his second goal of the game on assists from Foren and Nuccio.
Durand reclaimed the lead, 3-2, with 11:59 left in the third period on a goal by Cameron Beckner, but Brandon then scored two goals within a minute to take a 4-3 lead. Nuccio scored on assists from Scott Thurman and Nelson with 10:17 left, then Cinader completed his hat trick with an unassisted goal with 9:21 left.
However, Durand’s Brent Wooton scored the deciding goal with 4:46 left in the third, giving the Railroaders the victory.
Brandon goalie Jeff Hammond stopped 23-of-28 shots (82.1 percent) in net.