Moment: 109 Minutes, 8 OT, 2 Champions
April 9, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Not before 2008 nor since has an MHSAA Hockey Final finished in a tie.
But on March 8, 2008, Marquette and Orchard Lake St. Mary's played eight overtimes and 109 minutes before a tie and co-champions were announced in the Division 2 title game.
The teams entered overtime tied 1-1, and that’s how it ended after more than four hours of game play. Marquette had led 1-0 after a second-period goal before St. Mary's tied it up with 1:32 to play in regulation. The game was ended out of concern for players’ safety after the marathon effort.
If a Final were to be tied after a fourth 8-minute overtime today, the teams would play 4-on-4 until it was broken.
Today's #MHSAAMoment features the full broadcast of the game by the NFHS Network.
Moment: Nordstrom Sends Hancock to Final
May 22, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Alex Nordstrom had quite a hockey season during the winter of 2015-16, and put a giant exclamation point on the end with his performance during Finals weekend at USA Hockey Arena.
He’d finish his freshman campaign with 33 goals and 26 assists, including a pair of goals in Hancock’s 4-2 Division 3 Final win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central. But arguably the biggest goal of all came a day earlier.
Nordstrom’s backhand into the next 6:51 into overtime on March 11, 2016, gave Hancock a 2-1 Semifinal win over Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and sent the Bulldogs to Saturday’s championship game. The title would be the program’s first since 1999.
Click for coverage of the Semifinal from State Champs Sports Network and watch the game winner below from the NFHS Network.