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1/30/2008-Hockey
Eaglets regain focus, cruise to win
St. Mary's coach upset with team's mental preparedness prior to Tuesday's game, team responds with win over Clarkston
By KEITH DUNLAP Of The Oakland Press
ORCHARD LAKE--It seems there's a new disciplinary fad enveloping the coaching community these days.
When unhappy with your players, kick them out of their locker room.
Michigan State basketball coach did so earlier in the year, and Orchard Lake St. Mary's hockey coach Brian Klanow did the same thing after Monday's practice.
For the record, Klanow insists he didn't get the idea from Izzo.
"I've been doing that for years," Klanow said.
Klanow was not too pleased with his team's focus in Monday's practice, so instead of dressing in their spacious locker room at the far end of the rink, the Eaglets spent Tuesday's game against Clarkston coming in and out of a less roomy and pristine room behind the team's bench.
At least for one night, St. Mary's played like it got the message, jumping out to an early lead and cruising to a 4-1 win over Clarkston in a battle of state-ranked teams in Division 1.
Ranked No. 9 in Division 1, St. Mary's (5-11-2) won for the first time since Dec. 28, although that's largely a byproduct of the defending state champions playing a brutal schedule that Klanow hopes will pay dividends come playoff time.
"They were struggling and they were showing their frustration with a lack of discipline and a lack of effort in practice," Klanow said. "We played much better tonight."
Senior Mr. Hockey candidate Billy Balent predictably led the Eaglets with a goal and two assists, the first of which came on a goal by junior Thaddeus McConkey just 1:26 into the first period.
Balent then scored to make it 2-0 St. Mary's with 10:21 remaining in the first. Junior defenseman Matt Uhrin delivered a perfect pass from his own zone to Clarkston's blue line, where Balent gathered the pass, stayed onside and scored on a breakaway.
Clarkston answered to cut the lead to 2-1 with 9:01 to go in the first on a power-play goal by sophomore Tyler Frakes, who slammed-dunked a cross-crease pass from Adam Frank into the goal.
St. Mary's responded by going up, 3-1, with 4:18 left in the first on a power-play goal from Uhrin via a shot from the point through traffic.
Eaglets sophomore Kevin Killian rounded ou the scoring with a shot from the point that went into the goal with 9:30 left in the second that made it 4-1.
The Eaglets had solid goaltending from sophomore Chris Sullivan, who made 17 saves in net.
Junior Garrett Knappe made 23 saves in a losing effort for Clarkston.
"We didn't play that bad," Clarkston head coach Bryan Krygier said. "We dug ourselves a hole in the first period again and against a good team like this, you can't come back and win in the third period. We just have to be little bit more disciplined and a little bit more ready to play in the first period."
Ranked No. 8 in Division 1, Clarkston (5-9-2) lost for the second straight time after suffering a 2-0 shutout loss to Lake Orion on Saturday.
Krygier said the lack of scoring production the last two games from his team isn't a matter of effort, but that his players simply are going through a stretch where they're not getting bounces.
"We're not getting the breaks right now," Krygier said. "But you know what, I'd rather get the breaks at the end of the season than have them right now."
Clarkston is 3-4-1 in league play and will return to OAA I action when it takes on Waterford Kettering at 8 p.m. at Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills.
The Eaglets this weekend will embark on a trip to Buffalo, N.Y. to take on Buffalo St. Francis on Friday and Saturday.
The following weekend, each team will compete in the prestigious Trenton Showcase in Trenton.
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