Berkley-Ferndale Wins Outdoor Game Over West Bloomfield

DETROIT – Luc Hammerle and Bradley Zucker heated up the ice at Clark Park on Sunday afternoon. 

In an outdoor hockey game, the duo shrugged off the cold temperatures and windy conditions to help Berkley-Ferndale Unified win a key Oakland Activities Association White game over West Bloomfield, 4-0. 

It didn’t take long for Hammerle to put the Lakers in a hole. The senior defenseman scored in the first minute (:35) from a pass by Danny Fryc.

“It’s always a good way to start,” Berkley-Ferndale Unified coach Jeff Fleming said.  “It got them on their heels right away and out of their game.”

Zucker took over from there. He had a two-goal second period (3:17 and 9:38) and then completed a hat trick in the third on a goal (6:35) assisted by Hammerle.

“He played good, real good,” Fleming said of the senior forward. 

Sophomore goalie Stephen Wroe didn’t allow anything to get past him to give Berkley-Ferndale (13-1; 6-0 OAA White) its fifth shutout of the season.

“Stephen Wroe is an all-state, in my opinion, candidate,” West Bloomfield coach Rick Reed said. “He’s a sophomore and the kid is just absolutely solid. I’ve watched him over the last two years, and this isn’t the only game I’ve seen of him this year, and he’s an outstanding goaltender.”

Reed said the key to beating a goalie like Wroe is getting a lot of shots on net and creating rebound opportunities after saves. West Bloomfield (8-5; 4-2) didn’t do that on Sunday — of their shots went wide of the net.

“You don’t hit the net with your primary shot, there’s no follow-up and then you turn the puck over,” Reed said. “What you thought was an offensive opportunity goes the other way.”

Outdoor hockey tradition fun for coaches

While Reed didn’t enjoy the outcome of the game, he did love the setting. As coach of Bloomfield Hills United last season, Reed started the tradition of playing an outdoors game with Fleming's Unified team in Detroit last year. 

“Jeff and I started this when I was at Bloomfield,” Reed said. “I grew up playing this way, 80 percent of the time was at rinks outdoors under lights or sunshine, it was just like this. It was great to take the kids back to that cause most of them haven’t played in it.”

Even though Fleming’s team had played outdoors last season, he said there was still a great deal of anticipation from his players.

“There’s anticipation cause it’s something different, something fun,” Fleming said. “What a great venue to play a hockey game.”

Berkley-Ferndale beat Bloomfield Hills United last year 4-3 with a goal in the final minute. But both coaches agreed, the outdoor game is a tradition they want to see continue.

“I know this rink needs a zamboni, but we need to keep this game going.” Fleming said.