Trojan Hockey News

Grand Rapids CC News Story January 16th, 2008

Grand Rapids CC 6
TC Central 4

Grand Rapids Catholic Central scored seven seconds into the game and never looked back in beating Traverse City Central 6-4.

Catholic Central, ranked No. 1 in Division 3, led 4-0 just over 12 minutes into the contest. Central (9-3) closed the deficit to a goal, and had a power-play opportunity late in the game, but the Cougars scored an empty-net goal with 15 second left to ice it.

"To fight back against a good team is a positive we can take out of it," Trojan coach Chris Givens said. "That part of it I'm happy with. We could have packed it in when it was 4-0."

Catholic Central made it 4-0 rather quickly.

Dominic Lefere scored off the opening faceoff to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. Kevin Boman drew the assist.

Clayton Brackett scored on a power play just over five minutes in to make it 2-0. John Dery assisted. Brackett hit the crossbar on a shot earlier in the period.

"He's a player," Givens said.

Brackett tallied again less than two minutes later when he converted off assists by Paul Ziemke and Matt Kane.

The count went to 4-0 when Boman netted a power play goal 12:05 into the first period. Ziemke assisted.

That's when Central mounted a comeback.

Dane Macdonell scored a power play goal off assists by Jeff Stych and Jared VanWormer late in the first period.

Early in the second period, Eric Swy tallied to make it 4-2. Alex Goodhue and Shane Darrow picked up the assists.

Goodhue netted a power play goal midway through the period to slice the deficit to one. Darrow and Swy assisted.

Catholic Central stemmed the Trojans' momentum when Kane scored to make it 5-3. Ziemke and Brackett assisted.

Darrow's power play goal five minutes into the third period made it a one goal game again. Swy assisted.

It stayed that way until Boman scored his empty-netter.