The Clarkston hockey team was flying high coming off of their win over Port Huron Northern when they into Saturday night’s OAA matchup with Rochester United, one of the top teams in the league.
The Wolves carried the momentum throughout, matching Rochester goal for goal for most of the game, but ended up just short in a 4-3 loss.
Three times Clarkston tied the game, only to watch Rochester counter to take the lead back all three times.
Following the game, Clarkston coach Bryan Krygier attributed the loss to costly defensive miscues.
‘We made three bad mistakes tonight that cost us the game. All four of their goals were preventable, but there were three that were plays we should have made.?
Two crucial Rochester goals came in the last half of the second period, as United countered two goals by Clarkston senior Jack Schlau, with two of their own, including the game winner to secure the victory.
With Rochester leading 2-1 with less than eight minutes remaining in the second period, Schlau scored his first goal, a quick shot from between the circles off a pass from sophomore Brad Pizzey.
Rochester countered less than a minute later, as Sam Bunge knocked in the puck trickling across Clarkston’s goal mouth to give United the lead at 3-2.
Rochester’s lead didn’t last long, as Schlau scored again 38 seconds later with a backhand shot following another feed from Pizzey to tie the game back up for the third time.
Minutes later, Clarkston had a chance to take the lead as junior Austin Morse had a breakaway on United goalie Valentino Lisi, but was unable to get the shot off.
In the closing minutes of the period, Rochester knocked in the deciding goal, as Alec Suleskey scored off a faceoff, a goal that Krygier said was the difference.
‘The goal off the faceoff was one we should have had. It was preventable, and it was the deciding goal tonight. All in all, though, we competed well as a team, and it was a pretty exciting game. We just came out on the wrong end.?
The Wolves had four power plays in the third period, but failed to capitalize and the game ended.
The Wolves fell to 6-8-2 with the loss.
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They beat Port Huron Northern on Jan. 28, 5-1. The win was a team effort as Chad Wotton, Adam Frank, Zack Gootee, Nick Heinrich, and Austin Morse scored during the night.
The Wolves out shot Port Huron 36-18.
Alec Gildner saved 17 shots for the night.
The boys host North Farmington on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. They head to the Onyx on Saturday to play Dakota High School in a OAA vs. MAC game. They play at 10:30 a.m.