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12/15/06-Hockey
OLSM evens series with CC with 3-2 win
Hockey Weekly
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Three years ago then Redford Detroit Catholic Central decided it was time it started playing Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep in hockey because it might make for a competitive series.
Well, the then Division 3 Eaglets opened the series with a shocking 5-2 win at Compuware Nov. 28, 2003, becoming the first team in Michigan to beat CC in three years and ended the Shamrocks'44-game winning streak over Michigan High School teams.
Since then St. Mary's has moved up to Division 1, CC has moved to its new campus in Novi and the two teams have met eight more times. The latest battle ended in a 3-2 OLSM win at Compuware on Dec. 9, helping St. Mary's knot the series at 4-4-1.
“It's the most dead even a series you can get,” said Mike McGee, a CC alumni dad whose son Adam graduated last year.
McGee now broadcasts the Shamrocks games on the internet with another alumni dad, Mike LaFever. McGee provided some other interesting stats in the OLSM-CC series.
“No team has won on their own ice,” said McGee. “The first team that scores in the game has gone on to win, except
for the one tie. And the series is tied at 27 goals apiece.”
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LaFever ran those numbers and history by St. Mary's coach Brian Klanow in a webcast, pre-game interview and asked for his reaction.
“The four years we've been playing it's them, it's us, it's them, it's us,” said Klanow. “Game in and game out it's tight and evenly played. It's an unnecessary flip flop in my eyes. But we've got to change that. We've got to win here and then we've got to win at home.”
Well, OLSM might get that chance in February if the two teams play for the Division 1 Catholic High School League championship again, a title that CC won at St. Mary's last year. St. Mary's then knocked off the Shamrocks in the State Regional Final on neutral ice, at the Detroit Skating Club in March.
The two teams opened this season Nov. 18, at St. Mary's Athletic Complex and the Shamrocks scored first and ended up winning, 3-2, on a last period goal. St. Mary's returned the favor this time, taking a 1-0 lead in the first period on a shorthanded goal by Clinton Bourbonais, when he stole the puck from Jeremy Christopher and then backhanded the puck over CC goalie Greg Holland.
At 5:38 of the second, though, CC's Evan Anton put a shot from the top of the right circle past St. Mary's goalie Joe Savona for a tie. And 2:21 later on a power play, Doug Raymond put the Shamrocks ahead, 2-1. It only took 1:17 for the Eaglets to tie the game again on an even-strength goal from Ben Shields.
Catholic Central, though, had a great chance to regain the lead when it had a two-man advantage for 1:25 with St. Mary's players, Mac Watts and Jon Falvo, whistled off for penalties. But St. Mary's killed both penalties without any damage and went on a power play of it's own, on which Bourbonais converted for his second goal and the game winner with 1:42 left to play in the second period.
“We were able to control the neutral zone,” Klanow said after the game. “And we won a few much-needed battles along the boards. That was the difference.”
CC outshot St. Mary's 25-17 in the game, with senior Savona making 23 saves for the Eaglets, the biggest coming on Anton on a breakaway with two minutes to play. Holland , also a senior at CC, and the son of Detroit Red Wings' general manager Ken Holland, stopped 14 shots.
With the win St. Mary's improved to 3-2-1 on the season and CC suffered its first loss to drop to 5-1.
“We told our guys before the game that whoever is more passionate is going to win,” Catholic Central coach Todd Johnson said afterwards. “They were more passionate. They blocked more shots. They controlled the puck more. They executed on their special teams more than we did. They won the game . . .
“They wanted to make sure our guys were paying the price and we didn't return the favor.”
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