Another great showing by the Genesee County fanbase, enjoying a pre-Christmas matchup between the Saginaw Valley and Lakes Valley conferences featuring the Flint Powers Chargers (6-3) and the Fenton-Linden Area Griffins (2-7).

The Chargers were looking to quickly bounce back after the road loss to East Grand Rapids. They did so early in the first period. At 15:40, senior Nolan Berner connected with senior Brendan Sly cutting through the neutral zone. Sly strategically glided just inside the Griffin’s blueline and sauced the puck over to junior Landon Miller. Miller displayed sound confidence with no hesitation, sniped Griffin’s netminder Porter Lobocki for his first of the evening. The Chargers found themselves back against the wall with two Chargers sitting in the penalty box for interference and roughing but were able to diffuse any potential threat. Then, at 8:07, Griffins’ Trenton Rockman found the back of the next to square it up 1-1 going into the first intermission.

The Chargers did not waste any time as Miller secured his second snipe of the game beating Lobocki short side. At 14:30, Sly increased the lead 3-1 sending the generous rebound back past the Griffin netminder. Two former Flint Jr. Firebird teammates then collaborated on one of the filthier goals this year. Ayden Cook effortlessly won the offensive faceoff sliding the biscuit to himself through the Griffins center’s legs, dishing it over to winger Andrew Burny to deposit into the open net.

Sly opened the 3rd period scoring with a goal mouth backhand sent from linemate Andrew Parmentier. Moments later shorthanded, Cook pick pocketed the Griffin forward in the Charger zone and hit Bendall near center ice, Bendall then teed it up for the trailing Burny (2nd) to make it 6-1. The Griffins’ countered when Brennan Crandall snuck in a powerplay goal by Stutts-Miller at 12:23. Cook delivered his third assist of the night setting up Berner for the quick slap shot blast near the top of the circle to go up 7-1. Freshman Ethan Haley created a sweet breakout sequence to Tom Lavoie on the right hash mark, who then fed Dru Wendlend rushing up the gut. Wendlend dangled the Griffin defender and executed the backhand deke before sliding into the boards. At 4:06, the Griffins’ Mason Wright notched their 3rd goal but a little too late. With only 53 seconds left on the clock, Chargers Logan Nanny disrupted the Griffin defender trying to clear the zone, the puck landed on the Charger Sly’s tape. Sly wound up faking the slapper and instead attempting to pass to his teammate in front and it somehow slid by the netminder, giving Sly the hatty. Logan Nanny earned his first varsity point with the assist.

Junior netminder Gavin Stutts-Miller earned his 2nd victory on the season. Final: Powers 9 Fenton/Linden 3

Next game: Saturday, Dec. 30th v Marysville at 5pm – Flint Iceland arena

(State Championship Banner raising ceremony prior to start of game)