Division 1: For Brighton, 11 is Enough
March 10, 2012
PLYMOUTH – Brighton had only 11 shots on goal in Saturday’s Division 1 Final.
But the Bulldogs needed only four to go in – including senior Chet Daavettila’s game-winner with 1 minute, 32 seconds to play.
Brighton claimed its second MHSAA title and first since 2006 by outlasting Grosse Pointe North 4-3 in the season’s final game at Compuware Arena.
“My brother won it last time. He was on the team in 2006,” Daavettila said. “He was giving me ribs about if we lose. And we won, so it was a great relief.”
How Brighton (24-4-2) won was similar to how it advanced with a 2-1 double overtime win over Orchard Lake St. Mary in the Semifinal. In that game, and despite the extra time, the Bulldogs had just 15 shots on goal.
Sophomore Troy Marrett, junior Zach Morgan and senior Tommy Kivisto all scored Saturday as Brighton opened a 3-1 lead four minutes into the second period. But senior Joe Aluia scored two of his three goals to pull Grosse Pointe North (15-15) even less than four minutes into the third period.
“He’s been one of our guys that had the heart and soul of our team all year long, and especially in the playoffs he really came to play and put the team on his back,” Norsemen coach Scott Lock said. “Tonight he was fantastic. He could’ve probably had two or three more goals with some luck on his side.
"I thought he was going to get us over the top. But even after we tied it up we had all the chances again, and we made a bad mistake in our own zone. We leave a guy free, and it ends up in our net.”
Brighton closed the season on a 10-game winning streak and gave up just six goals total in six playoff games.
“I thought today and yesterday we had a tough time finding a way,” Brighton coach Paul Moggach said. “But we found a way to do it. And I’m really proud of how they did it. It was a tough road, but they came through at the end.”
Click for the Division 1 Final box score.
PHOTO courtesy of Hockey Weekly. Brighton sophomore Brett Pietila moves the puck ahead during Saturday's second period.
Highlight Reel: D2 Hockey Semifinals
March 13, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Livonia Stevenson and Birmingham Brother Rice will meet Saturday to the decide this season's MHSAA Division 2 hockey champion.
Below are highlights from the NFHS Network for all four teams that played in Thursday's Semifinals at Compuware Arena.
Livonia Stevenson 3, Escanaba 2
FIRST GOAL WUNDER - Escanaba's Levi Wunder tallied his 46th goal of the season in the first period of this Division 2 Semifinal against Livonia Stevenson, getting the rebound off his own shot.
LEONARD BLASTS IT IN - Livonia Stevenson got two goals in less than a minute in the second period to take the lead. The first was on this blast by Shane Leonard.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Birmingham Brother Rice 4, Grosse Pointe South 0
ROSA'S FIRST GOAL - Nick Rosa had two second period goals for Birmingham Brother Rice in its 4-0 Division 2 Semifinal win over Grosse Pointe South. Here's the first, where he follows Matthew Manning's bounce off the side of the goal.
REINHART BREAKAWAY - Brother Rice scored three goals in less than three minutes in the second period of its Division 2 Semifinal. Here Dana Reinhart scores on a breakaway.
Watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.