Coming off a loss in non-league action, the Brandon varsity hockey team quickly got back on the winning track against another non-league opponent.
The host Blackhawks soundly defeated Walled Lake Northern 4-0 at the Polar Palace in Lapeer Jan. 29, improving their record to 14-1-1 on the season.
Brandon wasted little time establishing themselves, scoring six seconds into the contest as Mike Cybulski scored on an assist from Steve Tallman.
The Blackhawks added two goals later in the first period, as Mike Ross scored at 11:57 of the period on assists from Cybulski and Chris Nuccio, and Matt Cinader scored at 12:28 of the period on an assist from Kyle Jackson.
The Blackhawks wrapped up the game’s scoring at 5:14 of the third period, as Jackson connected on assists from Brandon Newman and Cinader.
David Hughes notched the shutout in goal for the Blackhawks.
Two days earlier, Brandon headed into the third period up 2-1, but settled for a 4-4 tie against Utica Stevenson at the Polar Palace.
Cybulski kicked off the Brandon scoring at 4:33 of the first period on assists from Ross and Tallman. At 6:57 of the first, Ross put the Blackhawks up 2-0 on an assist from Tallman.
However, Stevenson was a pesky foe for the Blackhawks that day, as C.J. Melson scored at 9:49 of the first to trim the Brandon lead to 2-1.
After a scoreless second period, Stevenson scored at 2:00 of the third to tie the game at two.
Craig Skidmore scored an unassisted goal at 3:13 of the third to put the Blackhawks back up 3-2. Stevenson answered about two minutes later, as Melson scored his second goal of the game to tie the game at three.
The Blackhawks reclaimed the lead at 7:49 of the third, as Nuccio connected on an assist from Ross to put Brandon up 4-3. However, with 2:35 left in regulation, Stevenson’s Anthony Balsamo knotted the game at four, and both teams were held scoreless the rest of the game.