Wolves defeat Hartland, Howell to take move on to Final Four

By Jack Leech
Special to The Clarkston New
Flint — Clarkston Varsity Hockey is in the Final Four after two wins in playoffs last week.
The Wolves began the week in the MHSAA Division 1 Region 4 Final against Hartland with a season with 5-2 victory at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Feb. 28.
Returning players remembered it was at this time last season, when Clarkston traveled to Hartland and faced the Eagles in the regional Final. The Eagles won that game 6-1 loss.
Many of the 2023-2024 players present last year never forgot the sting of the defeat.
“This is what we have been working for all year,” said Quinn Farrell, who scored two unassisted goals in the contest, the first coming with four minutes remaining in the first period.
Just over three minutes earlier, Kyle Lynch opened the scoring from Ron Wade. The Wolves poured 12 shots on Eagles netminder Brady Huberschmidt.
With 14:49 remaining in the second stanza, Wade recovered a rebound off a shot by Lynch, to stretch the lead to three.
“That’s our game, right there, go hard to the net,” Lynch said.
The Eagles had a spurt of offense on goals from Luca DiGiloramo and Ian Kostamo to draw within one goal.
Farrell posted his second point on a breakaway steal from the Eagles defender for the Wolves’ fourth score with 5:17 remaining.
The Eagles pulled their goaltender for an additional attacker, but Brendan Rhodes stole the puck off an Eagle stick, crossed the blueline and drilled the final fifth goal in the empty net with 56 seconds left in the game.
Clarkston goalie Brady Damian made 19 saves in the net during the night.
The Wolves followed it the win by defeating Howell in the MHSAA Division 1 Hockey Quarterfinal 2 on Saturday, 7-4. Logan Golub opened the night with the first goal with 13:52 remaining in the first period. Howell tied it up on an power play three minutes later. Trey Damian broke the tie with 9:34 left in the period and the Wolves held onto the lead for the rest of the game with goals from R. Wade, Lynch Owen Croston, Ryan Wilford and Cole Moyses.
B. Damian had 16 saves while Clarkston had 42 shots on Howell’s goal.
The Wolves (22-5-1) play Brighton (23-4-1) in the semifinal this Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The winner moves on to the state championship against the Detroit Catholic Central/Reeths-Puffer winner on Saturday at 7 p.m. Both games are at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.