Hartland @ Powers

Wednesday 2/14/2024 @ 6:00pm

The final home game of the season against the Hartland Eagles (#3 Division 1) proved to be a test that caught the Chargers off guard. Both teams wanted to prove themselves, the cadence was quick as the puck moved end to end with each possession. Several minutes passed and the game remained scoreless. Finally, around 9:53 Blake Zloto absorbed a heavy shot from Hartland’s Drew L’esperance. Powers first-year defenseman Whit Park and Ethan Haley were making their presence known. The young D-men were stepping up with some physicality against the pressing Eagles. At 7:39 the Chargers had their first legitimate scoring chance with a Sly break away that was nullified by Hartland’s Gaige Deugenio. The pendulum was beginning to lean toward the Eagles. Then at 5:43 a Powers D-man passed the puck up the middle, Hartland intercepted and capitalized. With 2:11 left in the first, Carson Perkins (#20 Hartland) got called for holding giving the Chargers their first power play of the night. On the first drive Powers struggled to gain the zone and lost the puck at the blue line leading to another Hartland opportunity that Zloto handled. The man advantage was short-lived as Powers was called for crosschecking with 1:23 to go. The period ended with the score 1-0.

The second period began with Hartland on a power play for 0:37. The Eagles didn’t need long to exploit a hole in the penalty kill as the lamp lit once again. And again. And again at 12:55 Hartland was up 4-0. A few penalties later, both teams at even strength Nolan Berner rushed wide into the Hartland zone and fired a wrister to the net. Dru Wendland shuttled the rebound to Caleb Doll who closed the deal for Powers’ first goal with 8:55 left in the second period. That goal pumped life back into the Chargers. For a few minutes, the momentum was on the side of the home team. Powers maintained good pressure and almost clawed back to a 2-goal deficit only to have a late period goal negated by a hand pass. Sneaky as it was, one of the three officials saw it and ruled no goal.

The final stanza was more Hartland controlling the play. Powers struggled to gain possession. When they did grab the biscuit, they failed to connect on passes and overhandled the puck resulting in too many turnovers to overcome. On a positive, Powers continued to roll lines, allowing needed game experience to reach deep into the bench. Alex Rinoldo, Blake Dawson, and Logan Nanney had good performances. The score at the end of regulation, Hartland 4 Powers 1.

The highlight of the night happened after the final buzzer when the boys from both teams gathered as friends to chat at center ice. If there was another competition on this night, it would fall under the category of “style.” Powers won that contest, looking sharp as usual. Hartland on the other hand appeared to have lost a bet with their barbers – most of the Hartland team were sporting “rally (hair) cuts” … mohawks, mullets, and cuts without names. You had to be there to appreciate it. All good fun and another great night at the rink. Man…I love this game.

Powers Goals – Caleb Doll Assists – Wendland, Berner

Goalie Zloto 23/27

Next Game: 6:00pm Saturday 2/17 @ White Lake Lakeland