Two top ten programs delivered an absolute thriller in a D3 Showdown Friday night at the Flint Iceland arena. The Eaglets from Orchard Lake St. Marys were favored on paper, headed on the road to test the Flint Powers Catholic Chargers. A battle that brought over face value on each spectators ticket. Depending how the chips fall, these two schools could very well be facing off at the end of next month in regional play.

The first period was pure intensity spanning the entire 200 feet of ice end to end. The Chargers struggled throughout the night to capitalize on the multiple Eaglet penalties that started in the first ten minutes of the game. Senior netminder Blake Zloto came up big at the 5:40 mark, stopping a 2 on 1 Eaglet attack. The Eaglets were not only fierce but fast. They exhibited their prowess, creating a turnover on the Charger power play, scoring short-handed to close out the first period on top.

The Chargers entered the second period killing the interference penalty that carried over from the end of the first period. As it expired, senior Caleb Doll gave the Chargers the equalizer, slipping one by the Eaglets goaltender Will Keane. Then, the Chargers found themselves in an uncomfortable situation deploying their penalty kill unit to extinguish a 3 v 5. The Chargers succeeded. Back at full strength, with the face-off in the Eaglets defensive zone, Doll answered the bell again, as he took the draw winning it cleanly and slithered his way to deke Keane for the go ahead goal. With 1:58 left, the Chargers were handed a two man advantage power play that laid an egg.

At 11:13 of the third period, the Eaglets buried a loose puck out in front of Zloto to net it up at two’s. Less than a minute later, the Chargers finally executed on the power play. As the Chargers were organizing in the Eaglet zone, Dru Wendland strategically with the perfect pace, slid the puck over to Andrew Burny for the one time snipe (right side of the netminder). At 6:56 of the third, a great effort by Mike Wenzel to get the puck out of the Charger D zone that gave the blazing Landon Miller a head start the other way. Miller scooped it up in the neutral zone, and glided past the Eaglet defender and went short side upper left, bumping the charger lead 4-2. With their backs against the wall under two minutes remaining, the Eaglets pulled their goaltender and it paid off bringing them within one. The pressure proved to be too great for the Chargers as the Eaglets struck again with 54 seconds left, netting it at 4-4 to spill into overtime. In overtime, the thrilling winning goal was mailed in by the Eaglet forward who was left all alone on the Chargers back door step. Powers had plenty of opportunities to put the game away but fell short. A tough loss but a good lesson going into the final stretch of the season.

Final: Powers 4 St. Mary’s 5 (OT)

Next games: MIHL Showcase in Trenton, MI - Kennedy Recreation Center

Friday, Feb 2 v Sault Ste Marie 11am & Saturday, Feb 3 v U-D Jesuit 5:45pm