A little short
Wildcats give Milford all it can handle, but lose in hockey season opener at Huron Shores Challenge tourneyArticle Photos
By CHRIS DOBROWOLSKI
News Sports Editor
Fans, coaches and players for the Milford hockey team were breathing a sigh of relief Friday night.
Clinging to a one-goal lead, the Mavericks held off an Alpena team with two extra skaters and a burning desire to knock in a game-tying goal in the furious final minute of a 2-1 win at the Huron Shores Challenge at Northern Lights Arena.
The Wildcats (0-1) made it interesting as the clock ticked down by pulling goalie Alex Karsten, while already playing with a power play advantage after a high sticking penalty on Milford's Matthew Luzenski. With that Alpena was able to go on the attack offensively, and got some good chances, but just couldn't bury a goal.
"In the last minute we gave it our all. It just didn't happen for us," said Alpena forward John Bracken. "We threw all we got at them."
After a disappointing season last year, where the Wildcats suffered through an uncharacteristic 5-21-1 campaign, an improved Alpena squad took some consolation in giving the Mavericks all they could handle.
"Overall, it was a decent game," said Alpena head coach Chris Limback. "We had some chances earlier. We've just got to throw the puck at the net and get rebounds. At times we were looking for the perfect shot. We've got some young guys who had trouble adjusting to the speed of the game. They've got to be ready to shoot."
The one time Alpena did score came midway through the second period when Bracken got control of a puck that deflected off the post and put it past Milford goalie Eric Dimercurio to put the Wildcats ahead 1-0. Jason Henry got the assist.
That lead stood up for just over two minutes as Milford's Jeffery Clark notched the tying goal after taking a pass from behind the Alpena net, then added the game-winning score nearly six minutes later on a backhand shot that bounced off Karsten's shoulder. Alexander Gibson assisted on both of Clark's scores, while Jeremy Francis added an assist on the second goal.
Despite the loss, Limback saw a team with more potential on his bench.
"Our seniors are a little bit stronger," he said. "There are strength in numbers. We're a quicker team with more speed. We just have to create more offense."
Bracken says Friday's performance was a big step up from last year.
"We just need to build on this and come out strong the next game," he said.
The Wildcats face Walled Lake - a 5-2 loser to Macomb Dakota on Friday - in a 4:30 p.m. contest today on Rink 2.
