A third-period rally proved to be just the ticket for the Brandon varsity hockey team to earn a Flint Metro League win.
The Blackhawks scored four goals in the final period to defeat the Oxford Wildcats 5-1 Friday, Dec. 29 at Troy Sports Center. The win improved the Blackhawks? record to 6-2-1 overall and 4-1 in the Flint Metro League.
After a scoreless first period, the Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead in the second period, as sophomore Steve Cybulski scored on assists from seniors Erich Heiden and Matt Cinader. However, with a little more than a minute gone in the third period, the Wildcats tied the game on a goal by Elliot Wicker.
From that point, the Blackhawks dominated the scoring, notching three goals in a span of approximately 1-1/2 minutes.
First up was junior Kyle Doan, who scored on assists from senior Zac Caldwell and senior Sean Doyle with 12:01 left in the third. Junior Aric Bekaert followed that up with another goal, scoring on assists from sophomore J.T. Wedding and senior Chris Nelson with 11:38 left.
Heiden completed the trifecta with a goal with 10:45 remaining, on assists from Caldwell and Cinader. That goal put the Blackhawks ahead 4-1.
‘That one blew the game open,? Brandon Coach Tim Stone said.
Senior Andrew Fisher capped the Brandon scoring with a goal with 2:21 left in the third, on assists from sophomore Jay Traynor and freshman Anthony Rousos.
Senior goalie Jeff Hammond earned the win for the Blackhawks, stopping 18-of-19 Oxford shots on goal.