Story in Photos: 2023 Ice Hockey Semifinals
March 10, 2023
PLYMOUTH – This season’s MHSAA Hockey Finals will include a Division 1 rematch of last season’s deciding game, a Division 2 rematch of the 2021 finale and a Division 3 championship game guaranteed to produce a first-time title winner.
All three Finals are Saturday at Plymouth’s USA Hockey Arena:
Division 2 – 11 a.m. – Byron Center vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice
Division 3 – 3 p.m. – Flint Powers Catholic vs. East Grand Rapids
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.
Evan Wohlart (8), who later scored the game winner in Brighton’s 4-3 triple-overtime win in Division 1 on Friday, has a shot blocked by Hartland goalie Colin Babcock.
Detroit Catholic Central gets a breakaway goal from John Rocco despite being shorthanded two players on the way to a 2-0 Division 1 win Friday over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.
DCC goalie Kyle Moore makes a save during his shutout performance.
Byron Center goalie Carson MacKenzie turns away a shot during the second period against U-D Jesuit on Thursday.
Byron Center players celebrate their 8-4 Division 2 Semifinal win over the Cubs.
Brother Rice’s Luke Sacca scores during the first minute of the third period of his team’s 11-3 win over Saginaw Heritage in Division 2.
Jack Cassidy (21) and teammate Peter Rosa celebrate Cassidy’s game-ending goal Thursday.
East Grand Rapids' Charlie Hoekstra (16) fires the game-winning overtime goal with 1:11 left to play in the first extra period to give his team a 2-1 win over Houghton.
EGR players rush to the glass in front of their fans Friday to celebrate the comeback win.
Mason Czarnecki scores Flint Powers Catholic’s fifth goal of a 6-0 win Friday over Riverview Gabriel Richard in Division 3.
Chargers goalie Nicholas Kurtiak makes one of 25 saves in his shutout performance.
TOP PHOTO Brighton’s Charlie Burchfield nearly flies over the goal after getting stopped during the third period of his team’s win over Hartland.
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.