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.
Moment: Brighton Makes Chances Count
April 7, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Brighton had only 11 shots on goal during its 4-3 overtime Division 1 Hockey Final win over Grosse Pointe North on March 10, 2012.
And Chet Daavettila can claim the most memorable, as his shot into the far side of the net put the Bulldogs ahead to stay with 1 minute, 32 seconds left in the extra period.
The title was Brighton’s second on the ice – the first having come in 2006 with Daavettila’s older brother Tom on the roster.
The Bulldogs also had won in overtime in their Semifinal, over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, to advance to the season’s final day.
“My brother won it last time. He was on the team in 2006,” Chet Daavettila said that day. “He was giving me ribs about if we lose. And we won, so it was a great relief.”
Click to read Second Half coverage of that game – Division 1: For Brighton, 11 is Enough – and see below for the game-winning goal with coverage from the NFHS Network.