Jan 14—ACME — Maybe Mac Smith should always sing the national anthem at Traverse City West games.
The Titans’ backup goalie sang the anthem acapella before his team’s game Friday in the Rick Deneweth Memorial North/South Showcase at Center Ice Arena in Acme, and his West teammates responded with a 3-0 win over Kingsford.
“It was definitely by far our most complete game of the year,” Titans first-year head coach Zach Bargy said. “From dropping the puck all the way through to the end, our guys played with heart. We did what it takes to win. We blocked shots, won battles, won races, did the little things that a team needs to do to win and we played with some confidence for three periods.”
West scored three second-period goals, with Simon McManus kicking things off with an even-strength score 35 seconds into the stanza, assisted by Jack Schripsema.
Reece Robertson added a power-play marker three minutes later, set up by Kallen Ray. Jonah Starr struck for West’s final tally, assisted by Brandon Myers and Robertson.
Robertson and Starr lead the Titans in goals for the season with six each.
TC West (3-10) plays Midland Dow (3-11) at 12:15 pm Saturday. Kingsford (7-10) takes on Bay City.
Mason West made 28 saves to record the Titans’ first shutout of the season.
“When you have a goalie like Mason, if we play like we did tonight, we’re gonna have a chance to beat anyone,” Bargy said. “The boys are buying into what we’re preaching and tonight you saw it.”
Jason Kihn scored his third goal of the season to put the Reps up 1-0 on Division 1 No. 3 Livonia Stevenson (10-3) 1:16 into the second period. Zander Griffore and Drew Hardy picked up assists.
The Spartans scored with 1:32 left in the second period and again with 6:04 remaining in the third, both by Derek Buchanan.
Garrett Hathaway made 21 saves for the Division 3 No. 3 Bay Reps (10-3-2), who had outscored their last three opponents 21-4 and play Division 1 No. 10 Utica Eisenhower (6-4-2) at 6:45 pm Saturday. Riley Martin made 18 saves for Stevenson.
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Division 2 No. 8 TC Central (8-4-2) dropped a 3-2 decision to Division 1 No. 7 Lake Orion (8-3-1), which scored 20 seconds into the game.
“Bad giveaway and you hate to start the game that way,” Traverse City Central head coach Chris Givens said. “But after we got our legs under us, we played pretty well. We had a really good second period. If you would have told me we don’t outshoot them 34-17, I take that all day long.”
Central tied the game 1-1 on Drew Zrimec’s fourth goal of the season, assisted by Luke Weaver and Hunter Folgmann. After the Dragons went back up 2-1, Luke VanderRoest knotted it up again off a Cam Peters assist 44 seconds into the third period. Lake Orion’s Nick Grancitelli notched the game winner with 7:39 remaining.
Brady Faille made 15 saves for the Trojans, who play Livonia Stevenson at 2:15 pm Saturday. The Trojans had a 13-3 advantage in shots in the second period.
The top four teams in the Division 2 rankings are in the showcase (Byron Center, Alpena, Marquette, Saginaw Heritage), with a total of 10 squads ranked in the top 10 of their divisions in Traverse City this weekend.
In other showcase scores, Holland West Ottawa beat Midland Dow 8-5, Big Rapids topped Woodhaven 3-1, Mattawan got past Utica Eisenhower 2-1 in overtime, Escanaba mercied the Genessee County Generals 10-2 , Bay City and Howell tied 3 -3, Chippewa Valley United won 8-2 over Grandville, Alpena knocked off Flint Powers 4-0, Saginaw Heritage won 7-3 against Grand Rapids Christian and Byron Center outlasted Marquette 2-1 in the night’s final contest.
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Escanaba vs. Mattawan, 9:45a; Grandville vs. Woodhaven, 10a; Bay City vs Kingsford, noon; TC West vs Midland Dow, 12:15p; TC Central vs Livonia Stevenson, 2:15p; Marquette vs. Howell, 2:30p; Alpena vs Saginaw Heritage, 4:30p; Lake Orion vs. Byron Center, 4:45p; Bay Reps vs. Utica Eisenhower, 6:45p; Davison vs. Holland West Ottawa, 7p.
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