Pirates Sink Hornets with Two Quick Goals

Saline’s hockey season came to an end Wednesday with a 4-2 loss to Pinckney at Chelsea’s Arctic Coliseum. A win would have sent the Hornets to Saturday’s regional game at Okemos.

The Pirates gained control of the game by breaking a 1-1 tie with two goals in the first minute of the second period.

“They have tremendous skaters and move the puck well as a team. It’s just hard to come back from that kind of momentum shift,” said Saline head coach Drew Denzin. “Pinckney was the better team. It’s Pinckney’s time.”

Saline got within a goal in the third, but Pinckney tallied just over a minute later and held on to advance.

James Olson scored once and added an assist for Saline. Seth Giles also scored. DJ Aben added an assist. Kirk Smith scored twice for Pinckney. Mitch Rogowski and JP Maracani also scored for the Pirates.

Saline’s Connor Jennings turned aside 23 of 27 shots. Pinckney’s AJ Zale stopped 24 of 26 shots.

Pinckney struck first. With 1:38 to play in the period, Pinckney got the puck in deep and Rogowski took possession behind the Saline goal before feeding it into the slot to an uncovered Maracani, who chipped it past Jennings for a 1-0 lead.

The Hornets replied 40 seconds later when Olson intercepted an ill-advised pass in the Pinckney end. Olson deked around a defenseman to put himself in a prime shooting area before ripping a wrist shot past Zale.

The first period ended tied at one, with Saline holding an 8-7 shots advantage.

But things went wrong quickly for the Hornets in the second period. Off the face-off, the Hornets gained entry into the Pirate’s zone and looked dangerous on the cycle. The Pirates cleared and worked the puck into Saline’s end. Rogowski’s shot from in close hit Jennings but found its way into the net. Only 23 seconds later, the Pirates added to their lead. A Saline defenseman got burned trying to hold the blue line and the Pirates had a two-on-one. Jennings made the first stop, but the Pirates had several whacks at the rebound before Smith jammed it in.

In the third, with a Pirate in the box serving two minutes for a tripping penalty, the Hornets made it a one-goal game. The big line of Giles, Olson and Aben did a good job of working the puck behind the Pirate net. Finally, from behind the net, Aben sent a perfect pass to Giles in the slot. Giles one-timed it past Zale with 10:25 to play.

On the next shift, the Hornets looked dangerous again. But they couldn’t get a good shot off, and the Pirates skated up the ice and scored the insurance goal with 9:14 to play.

It was the final hockey game for Saline seniors Rocco Corrunker, Seth Giles, Doug Mitchell, Alex Stowe, Connor Jennings and Payton Carlson.

“Those six guys continue to lay the brick into the foundation of this program,” said Denzin, who said Corrunker, Mitchell and Stowe have been stalwarts on defense all season.

Denzin praised Corrunker, the team captain, who finished with four goals and 13 assists.

“I think the job of a captain on a high school team has gotten harder, as you have this shift towards a ‘me-first’ mentality. It can be difficult to rein in your peers. I think Rocco did as well as he could to keep those guys in,” Denzin said.

Giles had a breakout season, with 25 goals and 21 assists.

“We knew he could do these types of things. He plays with a lot of emotion. He kept that in check this year and stayed out of the penalty box and spent more time on the score sheet,” Denzin said.