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12/29/06-Hockey
Trojans in tourney final
FROM STAFF REPORTS
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TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Central will go from one ranked foe to another in its own tournament.
The Trojans knocked off the third-ranked team in Division 3 (Dearborn Divine Child) 4-1 in the semifinals to earn a TC Central Invitational championship game berth against the second-ranked squad in Division 1 in Orchard Lake St. Mary, which downed TC West 2-1 in overtime in the other semi.
"That will be a tough one,” TC Central coach Givens said of St. Mary. "They are so fast. They move the puck better than any team we've seen this year — tape-to-tape (passes) at top speed.”
The Bay Area Reps defeated Saginaw Heritage 4-2 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central topped Chippewa Valley 5-4 in other games.
TC Central and St. Mary will square off for the title today at 3:15 p.m. at Centre ICE's Republic Rink, with the Reps facing Grand Rapids CC at 3:30 p.m. on David's Rink. TC West will play Divine Child in the third-place game at 12:45 p.m. on the Republic Rink, and Saginaw Heritage (7-3) and Chippewa Valley play in the seventh-place game at 1 p.m. on David's.
The Trojans got up 2-0 on Divine Child (6-3-1) on a pair of special teams goals. All four TC Central scores came from special teams units.
Chris Archambo's power play slapshot from the blue line late in the first period and Luke Stricker's short-handed goal from Eric Swy 1:19 into the second had the hosts in control.
The Hawks drew within a goal on Preston Smith's score at 5:50 of the second, but Central's power play lit the lamp twice in the third period to salt the game away. Archambo and Stricker each scored their second goal of the game. Assists went to Dane Macdonell, Cam Brown and Shane Darrow.
Tyler Stricker made 16 saves for the Trojans (6-2-1).
TC West didn't beat Orchard Lake St. Mary for a second time, but the two teams put forth what Titans coach Anthony Palumbo said was one of the most entertaining prep hockey games he's ever been involved with.
The Eaglets (5-4-2) won on a Kasper Bryniczka goal 2:31 into overtime after West (4-5) had burned off 1:55 of St. Mary power play in OT.
Tim Hooker put Orchard Lake up at 8:49 of the first period, and the Titans evened things up with a Jack Sherwood goal with six seconds left in the period.
Six seconds was almost the magic time for West, as Todd Knaus came free on a rush with six seconds left in regulation, but was stopped by Eaglets netminder Joe Savona to send the contest into an extra session.
"That was a really good game,” Givens said. "West had some chances, and their goalie made a couple of great saves, including one on Todd Knaus late in the game.”
Savona had 20 saves, while the Titans' Dallas Kniss made 16 stops. West outshot Orchard Lake 21-18, in contrast to their earlier meeting this year when the Titans were badly outshot but managed to upset the then-No. 1 Eaglets 3-2.
The Reps (4-6-1) were down 1-0 before scoring back-to-back goals late in the first period, then never trailed again. Dan Fisher and Matt Zagers found the net off assists by Anthony Armour, Jed Dean and Fisher.
The Hawks tied it again with 56 seconds left in the second period before a pair of third-period scores sealed it for Bay Area. Dan Tinkle banged in a rebound at 4:04, assisted by Mike Kowalski and Fisher and Zagers found the net 1:02 later unassisted.
"It's big to get this win, especially after them coming back at the end of the second,” Bay Area coach Rex Luxton said. "I felt our guys really grew up tonight and didn't panic.”
Cody Lindhorst made 24 saves for the Reps.
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