Too much turkey could be to blame for a Black Friday defeat. The Clarkston Wolves hockey team, looking to rebound from a season-opening loss to Birmingham Unified nearly a week prior, kept up with the defending state champions for more than half the game, but in the end, fresh legs won the game.
The Brighton Bulldogs (2-0) proved to be too much for the Wolves (0-2) in the end, taking a 6-3 win in the first day of the Cranbrook Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 24.
The teams were nearly even through the first period; Brighton held a 1-0 advantage and the teams were even in shots on goal at four apiece. The Bulldogs, winners of five consecutive Kensington Valley Conference titles, pulled away in the remaining two periods, outscoring Clarkston 5-2.
Clarkston Coach Bryan Krygier said the game was an improvement for the young Wolves team.
‘We played better, we had an opportunity to get back in, we just made some bad decisions defensively’a lot of their shots went in that I didn’t think should have gone in, but we shouldn’t have given them those opportunities to take the puck toward our net,? he said.
‘We played with a little more heart’we’re picking it up, we’re improving. It’s going to take time,? he added.
Brighton Coach Paul Moggach said the game was closer than the box score would have readers thinking.
‘It wasn’t until the third period where we really opened it up’I thought the score wasn’t indicative of the play,? he said.
‘They were close to us the whole time. In the end we got a couple goals and that was the difference.?
The difference in the game, Moggach said, was the Bulldogs? conditioning in the off-season paid dividends as the contest wore on.
‘We trained hard in the months coming up to the season’s start and the conditioning should take over in the third (period).?
In that third period, Brighton scored three goals on five shots including a shorthanded score from Matt Pietilla with 9:17 remaining.
Scoring for the Wolves were Eric Salo (12:40 remaining second period), Taylor Turner (11:36 third period) and Ryan Kenerson (5:33 third period).
Jamie Bowen played in net for Brighton and turned away 15 Clarkston shots for the win. However, the Wolves did hold a shooting advantage in the game by one, 18-17.
Clarkston opens its league play on Nov. 30 against Waterford Mott at 6 p.m. on its home ice at Detroit Skating Club. The rink is located at 888 Denison Court in Bloomfield Hills.
‘They give us a one to two goal game every year, they play us tough,? Krygier said. ‘They have an improved team and they have some veterans on their team.?