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.
Story in Photos: 2022 Ice Hockey Semifinals
March 11, 2022
PLYMOUTH – Saturday’s MHSAA Hockey Finals are set after a six-game series of Semifinals on Thursday and Friday that featured two overtime games and one team’s advancement to championship day for the first time.
All three Finals are Saturday at Plymouth’s USA Hockey Arena:
Division 2 – 11 a.m. – Hartland vs. Trenton
Division 3 – 3 p.m. – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. Midland Dow
Division 1 – 7 p.m. – Detroit Catholic Central vs. Brighton
Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured plenty of action from the Semifinals – all photos and text below are by John Castine. Click for more as they are posted.
Brighton's Jack Sexsmith (2) celebrates with teammates after he broke up a scoreless tie early in the second period Friday over Grandville, as Brighton went on to score three more times in the period on the way to winning the Division 1 Semifinal, 4-1.
Brighton goalie Levi Pennala prepares to glove a shot on goal from Grandville, one of 18 saves he made in the 4-1 win.
Detroit Catholic Central's Nolan Galda celebrates his goal during the second period of the Shamrocks’ 6-0 win over Midland in a Division 1 Semifinals on Friday.
DCC's Ryan Wantuck is stopped by Midland goalie Aiden O'Malley.
Ashton Trombley (16) scores the winning goal for Hartland just 14 seconds into overtime as the Eagles defeated Marquette, 3-2, in a Division 2 Semifinal on Thursday.
Hartland goalie Kameron Ragon stops a Marquette shot late in the third period to keep the score 2-2.
Trenton goalie Noah Miklos makes a glove save during the third period of his team’s 4-2 Division 2 Semifinal win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.
Trenton peppered Brother Rice goalie Tommy O'Donnell with 32 shots, including this one that he had to stop with his face mask.
Orchard Lake St. Mary's defenseman Dylan Magdich fires the game-winning shot at the Warren De La Sale Collegiate net at 5:41 of the third overtime of a 2-1 Division 3 Semifinal win Friday.
Eagles teammate Caden Berninger celebrates as the puck reaches the net for the deciding goal.
Midland Dow's assistant captain Billy VanSumeren is all smiles after his second goal gave his team a third-period 4-2 lead Friday that withstood a Calumet last-minute comeback attempt. The 4-3 win put Dow into Saturday’s Division 3 Final against Orchard Lake St. Mary's, which will be its first appearance in a championship game.
A lot of bodies went flying in the Calumet/Dow Semifinal, including Nolan Sanders of Dow who took a hard landing after his short stint in air out front of the crease of Calumet goalie Aksel Loukus.
TOP PHOTO Trenton's Hayden Oboza celebrates his goal in the third period Thursday that proved the game winner against Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in a Division 2 Semifinal. Oboza would then add an insurance goal into an empty net after the Warriors pulled their goalie in their effort to tie the game during the last minute.