Over the past 10 years, the number of high school varsity hockey programs in Michigan has tripled, making it the fastest growing high school sport with 200 teams at present.
Last weekend, the Wolves hockey team competed with 24 of the top ranked teams in the state at the fourth annual High School Showcase in Trenton. Clarkston has competed in this two-day, two-game event the past three seasons and are undefeated with a 1-0-5 record.
The Wolves were trailing 2-0 in both games, but came back Friday, Dec. 19 to tie Davison 3-3 and skated to a 4-4 ties Saturday against Traverse City Central.
The Wolves came out flat in the first game, allowing two even strength goals to Davison in the first 10 minutes of play. But at the 13:03 mark, Mike Medonis got Clarkston back in the game with his first goal of the season, stuffing the puck inside the left post off a pass from Kyle Cummings to narrow the gap, 2-1. Alex Handley also got the assist.
In the second period, the Wolves had a golden opportunity to tie the game when they had 1:02 of a five-on-three, but could not create any good scoring chances. The penalty kill seemed to energize Davison, as they immediately followed with a shot inside the right post to make it a 3-1 game.
Clarkston responded with two quick goals in the next 63 seconds to tie the game at 3-3. Danny Mutz got his first goal of the season on a pass play in front of the net from newcomer Ricky Spano. Mike Fogg then scored his sixth goal of the season on a wrist shot through the five hole. Mutz assisted for his first two-point game of the season.
Both teams picked up their game in the third, but could not score. Clarkston goalie Mike Brach turned away 17/20 shots. The Wolves had 19 shots on goal.
‘We are playing well in bits and pieces, but we’re not playing to our potential,? captain Kyle Buzzo said. ‘We haven’t put a full game together yet.?
‘We were pretty well matched. Davison is a good team and well coached,? coach Bryan Krygier said. They have been in the state finals or semi-finals three of the past four seasons.
In Saturday’s game, both teams came out skating hard and aggressive, creating many penalties. The Wolves found themselves down 2-0 early in the first period as Traverse City took advantage of a 2:00 five-on-three, after Trevor Johns and Adam Peters were both called for roughing. TC Central added to their lead early in the second, scoring a shorthanded goal on netminder Aaron Catenese.
The Wolves had some chances in the second period with a five-on-three of their own, but could not score until a CHS penalty created on a four-on-four. Mike Fogg turned on the light after literally crashing the net and scoring on passes from the Cummings brothers. The referee initially disallowed the goal, saying the net was off, but after conferring with the goal judge, the goal counted and the Wolves were on the board.
Penalties continued into the third period, and with Clarkston on a power play, Chris Degen was crosschecked in front of the net, giving the Wolves yet another five-on-three. This time they capitalized, as Trevor Johns sent a shot five hole from inside the blue line to narrow the gap at 3-2. G. Cummings assisted.
On the same shift, Johns scored again on a rebound off a G. Cummings shot, his third assist of the night, to tie the game at 3-3.
Late in the third, penalties again reared their ugly face for the Wolves and Traverse City scored their third power play goal of the game to go up 4-3. But with a minute and a half left in the game, Buzzo sent a perfect pass from behind the net to an open K. Cummings in the slot, who sent a quick wrist shot to tie it up and preserve the three-year unbeaten streak. Medonis also got the assist.
‘We didn’t capitalize on our special teams as much as we should have,? Krygier said.
‘It’s good we are going away to Alpena? Christmas weekend, Buzzo said. ‘I hope this will get us on track. That’s what happened last year ? we had all these ties and then we went there and won.?
According to Krygier, ‘This weekend was a benchmark to see how the Clarkston program is doing with other teams across the state. We are doing a lot of these things right but need to improve in the second half to be more ready for the top teams. All said, we matched up well and deserve to be one of the top 10 teams in the state.?
The Wolves will travel to Alpena Dec. 26 for a two-day holiday tournament. The next league game is against Farmington at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8 at Detroit Skate Club.