Birmingham United scored the last five goals in their 6-3 win over Hartland on Friday night at the on a day where hockey may have been the last thing on the Eagles’ mind.
The entire Hartland hockey team attended for a classmate, friend, and fan – Kendal Lividini – before the game in Farmington Hills. Lividini died Jan. 7 after her nine-month battle with leukemia. A moment of silence was observed by the whole rink before the game.
“It’s been an emotional week for us, there’s no doubt about that. We made bad decisions tonight and we tried to take the easy way out,” Hartland head coach Howard Copeland said. “It’s been happening for almost the last month. We play well and when we have a chance to put a team away we don’t do it. We’re trying to be too flashy and these other teams aren’t quitting. They’re outworking us.”
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United defenseman Jake Balicki scored two goals in the contest and forward Michael Ryan assisted in three.
With the scored tied 3-3 going into the final period, United took over.
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Five minutes into the third Ryan grabbed a loose puck in front of Hartland goalie Aaron Zeddell and slipped it past him to give his team its first lead of the game, and United never looked back.
Balicki added a goal in the third on a power-play. He got a screen from a total of four players involved in a pile-up in front of Zeddell, who didn’t see the puck flying at him. Balickis’ second goal was also by way of a slap-shot. JD Hess scored on an emply-net with a minute remaining from the top of his defensive zone.
“Our work ethic is what’s holding us back. We’re a talented team but we’re relying too much on that talent,” Copeland added. “We came out strong and we got a lead. We’re a finesse team and we finessed ourselves out of the game. Were too talented to be struggling this much. We have to start outworking teams on every shift, not just one period but all game.”
The Eagles’ came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and built a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission. Captain Zach Bodziak scored with just four seconds left in the period.
Bodziak received the puck from Jordan Ruterbusch as the two streaked into the United defensive zone in a 2-on-1 rush. He then pulled a wrist shot that flew past the left side of United goalie Matt Trogu.
Balicki opened up the scoring for United five minutes into the second period on a power play. He hit a slap-shot from the top right of the zone that found the back of the net.
“They got one on us, recently when a team scores on us we put our heads down and don’t play with any heart or intensity,” Hartland forward Cory Snyder said. “ That is until we start losing. We have to play with heart and intensity, play at 150-percent all game long.”
Chris Donnelon added the next goal for United to cut the tie the contest. Forward Adam Susalla re-tied the game at three all, following a Hartland goal by Max Biggins, with 1:43 remaining in the second period. Susalla received the puck in front of Zeddell and was able to hit it through.
Hartland is on a three game skid and has dropped five of its last six games. That may be in large part due to the fact that this was their first game at home since Dec. 9.
“They out hustled us. We’ve been on a losing streak. We need to start playing with some emotion,” Manley added. “We started off strong, but you can’t just play the first period. You have to play all three periods if you want to win. We just need to look at everything as it is, not forget about it, but know it’s in the past.”
The Eagles again struggled with penalties and racked up nine of them, spending 18 minutes in the box.
“We’re trying to be more aggressive, we need to be more physical but we have to be smart and stay out of the box,” Copeland said.
Despite the discrepancy in penalty minutes, 18-10, Hartland allowed just eight shots on goal in the penalty-kill; however, two of those shots found the back of the net.
Birmingham is now 4-7 and will take their game to Lakeland tonight, playing Waterford-Kettering at 8 p.m. at the Lakeland Tri-Arena.
