Hockey News Hockey News
News | Roster | Schedules--Results | Archives
3/14/07-Hockey
OLSM drops Northville in MHSAA quarterfinal
Hockey Weekly
 |
Orchard Lake St. Mary's edged one step closer to its goal of winning a hockey state championship in a second division after a 4-1 quarterfinal win March 7, over the Northville Mustangs at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.
St. Mary's was scheduled to return to the Final Four at Compuware Arena March 9, to face East Kentwood in a Division 1 semifinal.
Two years ago, in their first trip ever to Compuware, the Eaglets beat Big Rapids in a semifinal, 9-2, and then Flint Powers Catholic, 3-1, for the 2005 Division 3 state championship, the school's first in hockey.
After moving up to Division 1 last season, its attempt to win another title was stopped in the quarterfinal in a double overtime loss to Brighton.
The Eaglets' win over Northville improved their record to 14-9-5, and the Mustangs finish the season at 18-8-1.
The Eaglets jumped to a 1-0 lead 1:31 after the opening faceoff when Tim Hooker fired a rebound past Northville goalie Andrew Flynn with assists to Jon Falvo and Billy Balent.
St. Mary's goalie Joe Savona, who shut out Catholic Central in the Regional final, 2-0, picked up where he left off in that game, making big saves in rapid succession against Northville's Wesley Gates, Kyle Ziomek and then a breakaway shot by Tim Hohl.
“Savona keeps playing the way he has to, to put us in position to keep winning,” said St. Mary's head coach Brian Klanow.
“Not only did Joe come up big, but our defense made some great plays, too.”
Northville outshot St. Mary's 29-27 in the game, but it was the Eaglets who soared to a 3-0 lead in the first five minutes of the second period on goals by Ben Shields (assists to Clinton Bourbonais and Balent) and Bourbonais (on a power play from Balent and Charlie Semaan).
Northville finally got one past Savona when Steve Dawson scored (from Drew Lamoureaux and Anthony Deneau) to make it 3-1.
But then Steve Tallman scored (Shields and Bourbonais assisting) 42 seconds later with the final tally of the game.
St. Mary's went into the defensive mode in the final period to move onto Compuware.
The winner of Friday's semifinal would meet either Grosse Pointe North or Marquette in the March 10, Saturday night Division 1 Final.
Copyright 2007, St. Mary's Preparatory, Orchard Lake, Michigan. All rights reserved.
No logos, photographs, or graphics on the site may be reproduced without written permission.