Kingsford hockey rebounds with back-to-back wins over weekend
CHELSEA — The goals came in bunches for the Flivvers at the Chelsea Showcase over the weekend, as Kingsford posted a pair of dominating shutout victories with an 8-0 mercy-rule win over Milford on Friday afternoon and a 6-0 triumph against Lenawee on Saturday.
“It was two good wins for us,” Flivvers head coach Greg Wadge said. “Overall it was a great weekend. Both goalies played well.
“Structure-wise, it was good to see some offense and us putting pucks in the net, as we’ve struggled with that at times. Just a good positive weekend, which we needed. We have three games this week, so it’s good momentum for us heading those matchups.”
The Flivvers now find themselves at 8-10-0 on the season which matches their win total from a season ago with seven games left to play on the schedule.
Both games were played mostly on the offensive end for the Flivvers.
Kingsford easily controlling possession while racking up 40-plus shots each game and the defense allowing less than 20 shots total in the both games combined over the weekend.
It was also a weekend of firsts for the Flivvers. Junior goalie Nate Scullon and freshman keeper Alex Hemgren each recorded their first varsity shutouts. Junior Cameron Stratton collected his first varsity goal, which ended the Friday game with 7:14 to play in the third period.
Kingsford posted its first shutout since February of last season, and Friday’s mercy-rule victory was the Flivvers’ first in several seasons.
Senior Captain Gavin Moore led the charge on Friday, posting a hat trick and an assist.
The Flivvers jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Milford in the first period. Senior Evan Moyer scored first with a blue-line bullet, just a minute in, getting a feed from junior Jake Deuter and an assist from senior Jake Crockford.
Senior Cooper Pigeon made it 2-0 Kingsford barely two minutes into the game, with helpers from freshmen Wyatt Lucas and Trintin Paynter.
Moore scored the final two goals of the first frame, flashing his coast-to-coast speed.
Crockford connected for a power play tally for the only goal of the second period, with junior Will Murvich assisting, and in the third it was Moore completing his hat trick ahead of a goal by Murvich and Stratton’s tally, which was fired from the top of the circle and slid through traffic before finding the five-hole of the Milford netminder.
Freshman Carter Steber, senior Jaxon Buckley, and sophomore Jonah Doenier all had assists in the shortened third period.
Buckley and sophomore Jack Spreen each netted a pair of goals for the Flivvers in the win over Lenawee, in a game where Kingsford again jumped ahead 4-0 after one.
Moore scored Kingsford’s first goal, unassisted at 15:26 of the first with another entire length of the ice rush.
Buckley buried the next two at 13:11 and 10:38. Murvich and Paynter assisted on Buckley’s first goal, while sophomore Seth Greenleaf added an assist on Buckley’s second goal.
Spreen’s first goal of the game made 4-0 at 8:16 of the first, with Deuter and Crockford assisting.
Kingsford’s final two goals occurred in the third. Spreen hit at 14:30 with help from Crockford, and senior Jack Supanich had a wide open rebound tap in for the final tally at 2:53. Lucas and Stratton added assists.
The Flivvers continue their busy stretch with three games on the schedule this week. Kingsford hosts Manistique for the “Pink the Rink” game tonight at the Mountain View Ice Arena in Iron Mountain.
On Tuesday the Flivvers head to face Lakeland, followed by a matchup at Negaunee on Thursday.