Hockey team moves to 11-0 with 3-2 win over Royal Oak.

Lakeland vs M-1 United Griffins 2023-01-04

Lakeland varsity hockey went back to work on last Wednesday night hosting the M-1 Griffins. The Griffs were looking to spoil Lakeland's perfect unbeaten and untied record - and they've played the spoiler role before. Rewind the clock to 2020 when the Eagles took their unbeaten squad to Royal Oak and were unceremoniously sent packing in an 0-2 loss. Ruffled Eagle feathers indeed.

Senior goalie Jason Slicker was on the team in '20 and recalled the stinging loss "Yeah they were hollering at us in the parking lot after the game."

Back to the present – both teams started tentatively and the first period ended scoreless 0-0. Slicker turned back six shots to the Eagle’s eleven. In the second period, senior captain Regan Voorhies surprised the Griffins with a shot directly from the face-off circle to the left of the M-1 net. Voorhies snapped the puck fresh from the referee's hand and banked it off an M-1 defender's leg into the net. After a quick consultation the officials called good-goal in spite of Voorhies not calling backboard.

Later in the period Voorhies relentlessly hounded the half-eagle/half-lion defenders eventually winning the puck and finding junior Brennan Grant for a casual one timer. Grant’s seventh goal of the season left the score 2-0 after two.

With 10 minutes remaining in the third period M-1 got on the board thanks to some careless Eagles 4 on 4 play. Lakeland's leading goal scorer Luke Weinberger pumped some air back in to a two goal cushion just three minutes later when he blocked a Griffin shot, burst down the ice and fired the puck low blocker side. The Griff's dialed up the drama scoring again with under two minutes to play thanks to a 6 on 4 empty net advantage. The Eagles’ PK held fast for a final 3-2 score.

Coach Ronayne on the 11th win of the perfect season: "We've learned there is no such thing as an easy win for us. But bottom line is we found a way to win again. RV (Voorhies) had a couple of points and Luke willed yet another game winner past their goalie. Goaltending is a core strength for us and Jason made one more save than their guy for the win.".

Next up the Eagles host Troy United Wednesday January 11th at 7:20 pm.