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Flint Powers drops double-overtime loss to Sault Ste. Marie in Division 3 hockey semifinals

By Ross Maghielse , 09/06/13, 1:45PM EDT

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PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, MI -- Not many hockey teams can allow a 33 shots on goal margin of difference and live to tell about. Flint Powers Catholic learned that reality Friday, when it dropped a 4-3 double-overtime loss to Sault Ste. Marie in the Division 3 semifinals at Compuware Arena.

The Chargers were out-shot 54-21 by the Soo, including 13-1 in the two overtime periods. Sault Ste. Marie’s final shot came off the stick of Eric Hillock and found the back of the net at the 2:45 mark of the second overtime.

“We got out-shot pretty bad, but we had our chances and we were right there in this game,” said Powers coach Travis Perry, who has taken the Chargers deep into the playoffs year-after-year before their season seemingly always ends in heartbreak. “We had a chance to win. Once we got into overtime we knew it was going to be one of those things where whoever kept throwing (the puck) to the net was going to have it go in.”

Powers goalie Casey Korhonen made 50 saves, two days after a similarly great performance in double-overtime victory over East Grand Rapids Wednesday.

“Casey stood on his head today as he’s done all year,” Perry said. “The only thing you can tell a kid like that is that it’s not his fault. He had a great game and he’s carried us all year. You can’t ask him for anything more than that.”

The Chargers took a 3-2 lead on a goal from Jared Coulter with 16:21 left in the third period. Sault Ste. Marie tied it, 3-3, with 9:20 remaining on a goal from Blake Mastaw and the Devils had multiple scoring chances late in the third period that were turned away. Powers also killed off a power play at the 5:50 mark of the second overtime before Hillock’s goal clinched the victory.

“We felt like we were out-working them for most of the game but we just couldn’t seem to bury it,” said Hillock, who also scored the first goal of the game that gave the Soo a 1-0 lead at the 13:50 mark of the first period. “(The game-winning goal) was just a result of a great pass out of the corner and I was able to put it on net and get the win.”

Despite the difference in shot margin, the Chargers and Devils played even throughout. Powers quickly answered the Soo’s first goal and later tied the game once again at 2-2 on a goal from Coulter in the second period.

Connor Owen was the other goal scorer for the Chargers and Benjamin LaCross was the other goal scorer for Sault Ste. Marie.

Friday’s trip to Compuware Arena was Powers’ fourth appearance in the state semifinals the past six years -- the Chargers were eliminated in the quarterfinals the past two seasons.

“We’ve been down here four times in the last six years and every game has been close,” Perry said. “We’ve lost two of those in overtime, we lost one 3-1 in 2010 (in the state championship game against Cranbrook Kingswood). Every year it’s been close. You hope it becomes more motivation.”

Powers finished the season 22-6-1. The Chargers lose seven seniors but return 13 underclassmen that saw considerable ice time this year.

“It’s tough for these guys to realize it now, but we had a great season,” Perry said. “We were right there, again. But it’s hard for our guys not to be disappointed right now.”

Contact Ross at rmaghiel@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter @Maghielse.