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3/9/2008-Hockey
St. Mary's earns co-championship
By ROB TATE/Special to The Oakland Press
PLYMOUTH--Orchard Lake St. Mary's is pretty familiar with long overtime championship games this year.
After the football team played five overtimes (an MHSAA record for any game) in the Division 3 title game in November, the hockey team outdid that on Saturday, playing in an MHSAA-record eight overtimes against Marquette in the Division 1 hockey championship at Compuware Arena.
The result was far different, however. After the eighth overtime, the MHSAA announced that the two schools would be named co-champions, halting the game in the interest of the athletes' health.
The first two overtime periods saw an even amount of scoring chances for each team.
But in the third overtime, a momentum swing took place that saw several scoring chances for Marquette.
With 1:30 left, Redmen forward Joey Enright clanked one off the post and nearly smacked in the rebound, but was stopped by OLSM senior goaltender Ryan Moreley-Stockton, who surpassed the MHSAA record for saves in a game.
Nearly a minute later, Aaron Lancour and Chase Genshaw pelted consecutive shots on net, but Morley-Stockton stood strong.
After giving up 15 shots in the second period to Marquette, OLSM would pick up the defense in the third period, allowing just three shots.
From there, with the season on the line, an empty net, and a faceoff in the Marquette zone, OLSM head coach Brian Klanow called a timeout.
Right off the faceoff in the left circle, Eaglet junior forward Shane Halaas sent the puck in on net, with 1:32 left in the game. Senior Tim Hooker pounced on the rebound and slipped it past Marquette goaltender Jon Nevich to knot things up at 1-1.
The Eaglets tried to avoid overtime with 16.6 seconds left, when Hooker connected on a pass with Cody King who sent it in on net, but Nevich gloved it to force the first extra frame.
The physical play was apparent early on in the contest with each team giving some big checks on the opposition but both wore out with each overtime that passed.
Marquette was on the attack early, outshooting St. Mary's, 8-5, in the first period. Half of the Redmen's shots came within the first five minutes of action including a couple of quality scoring chances by Brian Liberty and John Aho on the first Marquette power play of the game.
OLSM would get it own chances on its first power play of the game, as Hooker sent a couple of solid shots towards Nevich, who made the saves.
In Friday night's semifinal game, OLSM pelted Clarkston with 21 shots on goal in the second period.
Saturday night, the Eaglets had the role reversed on them with Marquette pounding away shots at OLSM goaltender Morley-Stockton, who faced 15 shots in the period.
Marquette with break through with 5:59 left in the second on the power play as Mike Peterson got around Morley-Stockton during a scramble out front and slipped it in. Eric Rizzio was given the assist on the play.
The goal was the first given up by Morley-Stockton in five and a half periods. His last goal allowed came in the second period of the regional final against Ann Arbor Pioneer.
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