The Saline Reporter
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'Light at the end of the tunnel' for Hornets
Spirited comeback falls short at Huron but Denzin still confident
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 8, 2007
The Saline hockey team entered its game against Ann Arbor Huron Saturday with a 0-13-4 record, was coming off of a 7-1 defeat at the hands of rival Ann Arbor Pioneer, and trailed the River Rats 4-1 midway through the second period.
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Despite all those reasons to lay down, the Hornets once again showed the determination and resolve that has marked this difficult season by scoring two quick goals to cut the lead to 4-3.
Near the end of a penalty-plagued third period, Saline's Grant Phillips came within inches of completing the comeback and sending the game into overtime. Huron hung on to the win by a goal and handed the Hornets their 14th loss, but head coach Drew Denzin said the tenacity shown by his players in the face of their struggles was admirable and a sign that better things might be on the way.
"We have a lot of character on this team" Denzin said. "They're finally getting to that point where there's a sense of urgency and desperation … There is a light at the end of the tunnel."
The Hornets' resiliency was never more obvious than after Huron scored with 9:41 to play in the second period to increase its lead to 4-1. Just 14 seconds later, Cory Corker stick-handled into the left side of the offensive zone and shot low. Sophomore Ryan Luke cut across the crease and deflected the puck into the net, pulling Saline within two with 9:24 still to play in the period.
Less than two minutes later, the Hornets drew within a goal. Senior Bobby Schilke prodded home Saline's third after an assist from sophomore Patrick O'Donahue with 7:44 left in the period. Saline pressure and a key save by freshman goalie Nick Colarossi with 2:22 left kept the momentum on the visitors' side headed into the third.
Unfortunately for Saline, the resurgence was stymied by a series of Hornet penalties that left the team shorthanded for much of the third period.
Despite that handicap, Saline's Sean MacNeil and Randy Schilke each forced good Huron saves with 10:30 and 7:17 to play, respectively. The Hornet penalty kill also did its job, keeping Saline within a goal despite a River Rat shot with 4:28 remaining that bounced off of both of Colarossi's goalposts.
After returning to full strength with only 1:05 left, Saline pulled its goalie for one last flurry of chances. Senior Kelly O'Sullivan nearly found Phillips in front of the net with 50 seconds left, but the pass squirted away.
Ten seconds later, O'Sullivan forced another Huron save with a shot of his own, and with just 15 seconds remaining Phillips found himself free for a close-range shot that just skimmed wide of the Huron net.
"It hurt that we had to play shorthanded for so much of the third period," Denzin said. "We stress to our guys that they have to stay out of the (penalty) box. But some of it is us, and some of it isn't. It's tough."
Denzin added that he was more than happy with his team's execution to set up Phillips's last-second attempt, and that Phillips — a defenseman throughout his Hornet career until very recently — couldn't be blamed for taking a good shot.
"I like the way we moved the puck, and Grant got a great shot," Denzin said. "This is the first time he's played forward. He's stepped in and filled a void for us."
The biggest problem standing between Saline and a win, Denzin said, continues to be brief periods of lost focus and multiple allowed goals. Corker had tied the game at one with 7:50 to play in the first period, but Saline still entered the second down 3-1 after Huron scored twice in the span of nine seconds late in the period.
Saline rebounding from that deficit was even more impressive after having to mentally rebound from the six-goal defeat at Pioneer. Cory Farrell scored in the third period on a Schilke assist to avoid the shutout.
The Hornets may get a boost this week from the return of senior captain Jay Birko, who has missed the entire season to this point because of injury.
"We've been saying all season, March is what really matters," Denzin said. "But we have to get some momentum going into the postseason.
"This will help. It's going to be the first time we've been able to play with all 20 guys."
Saline's next game is at 6:20 p.m. Friday at Dearborn Unified.
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