Hockey roundup: Hartland beats Calumet after losing to Trenton

TRENTON — It’s challenging enough to play in the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League Showcase, given the high level of competition.

The challenge meter was turned up even higher for Hartland, which was scheduled to play its second game Saturday morning against Calumet nearly 10 hours after its game Friday night against Trenton ended. Both opponents are ranked No. 2 in the state in their divisions.

The Eagles were in danger of going 0-for-2 in the showcase after losing their first game, 2-0, in a state Division 2 championship game rematch with Trenton and falling behind early against Calumet. But Hartland scored four goals in a span of 3 minutes, 4 seconds early in the second period on its way to a 5-3 victory over the Copper Kings at Kennedy Recreation Center.

Hartland normally drives home between games in the showcase, but got a hotel room because of the tight turnaround. The Eagles came into the Calumet game having lost two straight games to Division 2 contenders, 3-2 to Livonia Stevenson and Friday’s game against Trenton.

“When it’s a short turnaround and they’re coming off big-game losses, the question mark is out: ‘What’s your reponse?’” Hartland coach Rick Gadwa said. “I’m proud of our guys. The adversity kept hitting, even in the start of this one, going down 1-0.”

Against Division 3 Calumet, Hartland fell behind on a power play goal by Cam Kauppinen at 12:57 of the first period.

The Eagles’ comeback began when Kauppinen went to the box for slashing 25 seconds into the second period. Joey Larson scored on the power play to tie it at 1:31, Brenden Tulpa got the go-ahead goal at 3:51 right after a penalty kill, Adam Pietila made it 3-1 at 4:15 and Larson got his second goal at 4:35.

“What changed momentum was we actually stopped in front of their goalie and sprayed him,” Gadwa said. “They took offense to that and took a dumb penalty. We scored on the power play.”

Calumet got within 4-3 on a goal by Tanner Rowe at 11:06 of the second and Brent Loukus 34 seconds into the third. Dakota Kott gave Hartland breathing room with a goal at 8:06.

Against Trenton, Joey Cormier made 33 saves to shut out the Eagles. Cormier was pulled in last year’s state championship game after allowing four goals on 22 shots. Brett Tome stopped 16 of 17 shots for Hartland.

“The message to the team is they’re lucky this isn’t one-and-done, meaning a playoff game where you lose and you’re out,” Gadwa said. “The mistakes we made two games ago and the errors we made tonight are two close losses, at the end of the day. In the playoffs, it’s the end of your season. You’ve got to learn from it if you’re going to do the whole thing.”

Hartland and Trenton can’t meet in the state tournament until the championship game on March 9 at USA Hockey Arena.

Friday's game was scoreless until Trenton’s Ethan Holt scored on the power play 1 minute and 13 seconds into the third period. Devin Dunn scored an empty-net goal with 30 seconds remaining in the game.

“Sometimes the feeling-out stage in a hockey game subsides after so long into a first period, but it was really that way almost throughout the whole thing,” Gadwa said. “It was a good hockey game. Hats off to Trenton; they found a way to win. They capitalized on a power play. In a nutshell, we were 0-for-6 on the power play. We had our chances. We did not score. Their goaltender was phenomenal.”

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Brighton 3, Grosse Pointe South 1

After a scoreless first period, Brady MacDonald and Logan Mitchell gave Brighton a 2-0 lead in the second. South cut the margin to 2-1 on a goal by Andrew Vyletel with 7:16 left in the game, but Kaden Knight scored 40 seconds later for the Bulldogs. Harrison Fleming made 23 saves for Brighton.

Howell 5, Allen Park 1

Howell killed all 14 of Allen Park’s power plays while going 2-for-9 with the man advantage in a penalty-filled game.

Howell had 18 penalties for 49 minutes, while Allen Park had 17 for 58 minutes.

The Highlanders scored five straight goals after Allen Park’s Leo Tiefrey scored at 5:17 of the first period. Dominic Rossi scored twice. Brent Wolf had the go-ahead goal at 2:10 of the second period. Graham Hassan and Leander Daavettila had Howell’s other goals. Ethan Ryan made 31 saves for the Highlanders.

Grand Rapids Catholic Central 4, Howell 1

Leander Daavettila gave Howell a 1-0 lead 2:16 into the game, but Danny Nelson of Catholic Central scored the next three goals. The Cougars broke open a 1-1 game with a three-goal second period.