BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Wolves tried to slow Rochester United down during the OAA Championship at Onyx on Saturday evening as they tied the game at three points in the third period.
Rochester United scored one goal during the overtime period to beat the Clarkston Varsity Hockey team, 4-3.
“It was a very good game,” said Karl Daiek, Wolves head coach, adding it was a good environment for the team to prepare for MHSAA Ice Hockey Division 1 Regional 5 this week. “Rochester had a lot of people there. It was their home arena, and they have two high schools. The boys liked all the excitement going on. They played inspired, and they played well. Both teams did. It could have gone either way. It really prepares you for the pace you are going to see in regionals.”
Ryan Bolio, Ryan Galligan and Daniel Milano scored one goal each during the game as Brandt Botterill and Joey Ketzler each had one assist.
The Wolves beat three teams before going against Rochester United. They defeated West Bloomfield at Detroit Skating Club on Feb. 16, 11-2.
Drew Stark scored two goals in the win. Bolio scored one goal and assisted on three goals during the night. Anthony Hervias and Ben Zielke had one goal and two assists each. Ketzler, Ethan Adams and Austin McKay had one goal and one assist each.
Trevor Gilman and Galligan both scored one goal as Milano and Marcus Chiappelli each had one assist.
Austin Burrum had 12 saves for the night.
They defeated Flint Powers Catholic on Feb. 15, 3-2. Botterill, Gilmans and Ketzler each scored a goal. Stark, Bolio, Brendan Walk, Cameron Thomas and Sindre Simonsen each had one assist.
They defeated Bloomfield Hills on Feb. 14, 5-2. Gilman led with two goals as Adams, Galligan and Gino Giannini scored one goal each. McKay, Bolio, Botterill and Thomas had one assist each.
“The pace of the last four games have been very competitive and very fast-paced – perfect timing,” said Daiek. “Going into the state tournament it’s always good to have some pressure just to be ready for what you are going to face in the playoffs.”
The Wolves (18-6) play the regional semifinal on Thursday at the St. Mary’s Athletic Complex, 7:30 p.m. They will see the winner of Tuesday’s pre-regional game between Oxford/Avondale and Walled Lake Central/Waterford United.
“We have seen them before,” said Daiek. “We did beat both of them. It doesn’t matter. I have told the boys you can look through history – just because you beat a team early in the year doesn’t mean you will beat them later in the year. Teams get better. Only thing in our favor is both those teams have smaller rosters. We can go a little deeper than either one of them. It’s nice to have that familiarity as well. The more you know about somebody, the less intimidating they are.”
The winner moves on to the regional final set for Saturday at St. Mary’s, 6:30 p.m.

  Clarkston Varsity Hockey, Hockey