Perfect storm: Lake Orion erupts to de-ice Eisenhower 10-2 in regional opener
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
ROCHESTER — Lake Orion and Utica Eisenhower are no strangers to high school hockey state tournament games. The two have played four times in the postseason in the past decade, including Monday’s first-round matchup.
Last year, Eisenhower skated away with a 2-1, overtime win in a Division 1 regional final over the Dragons.
Lake Orion more than remembered that defeat.
The Dragons, who won the OAA Red Division tournament championship Saturday night with a 5-2 triumph over Rochester Stoney Creek, continued their hot hand as of late by skating away to a lopsided 10-2, mercy-shortened victory over the Eagles in a Division 1 pre-regional at The Onyx.
The game was called with 5:15 still left in the third period due to the MHSAA eight-goal differential rule in the postseason.
“We’ve really been trying to get to the net lately and get some garbage goals and getting pucks to the net,” offered Lake Orion co-head coach Clint Robert of his team’s offensive explosion. “I think we’re doing a better job of that lately.”
Lake Orion also hammered Ike 9-2 in a 2007 regional opener, while Eisenhower edged the Dragons in the 2006 regional finals, 3-2, as the two team’s postseason rivalry series.
The latest chapter was virtually all Lake Orion. The Dragons scored two in the first, four in the second and four more goals in the third period.
Senior forward Corbin Rainey, slowed by an injury early in the season, tucked in three goals for the Dragons, who had more than a dozen players register points.
“The coaches mentioned (last season’s game) and I was part of the team in that overtime loss,” offered Rainey, a senior forward. “They beat us last year. I think winning the league (tournament) championship last Saturday really helped us get here. We just take it one game at a time (at this time of year).
“We had a little fire in our belly from last year,” added Rainey. “We felt good playing (this type) of game and now we (will) get ready for (Rochester United).”
The win moved Lake Orion (17-7-1) into Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. regional semifinal against Rochester United, also at the Onyx. Lake Orion beat Rochester 1-0 and 4-1 in the regular season.
Mike Bannigan added two goals, while Nick Balavich, Jesse Cameron, Dylan Rosen, Zachary Koonce and Daniel Chapie had single goals for the Dragons. Eliott Rinke had four helpers on the day.
Lake Orion scored twice in the first eight minutes and led just 2-1 after the first period. The Dragons scored three quick goals in a span of seven minutes to go up 5-1 and the lead was never lower than three goals the rest of the way.
By the end of the second period, Lake Orion was in complete control at 6-2.
Dominic Juncaj made 12 stops for the Dragons, who posted a lopsided 36-14 shots edge in the contest and controlled the puck throughout the contest.
Eisenhower, despite repeating as the MAC Red Division champion this season, could not slow the Dragons’ perfect storm.
“I think they have a lot of players back from last year,” reminded Eisenhower coach Bob Hall, whose team has reached the Final Four once in the past decade.
“For a rebuilding year, 18-6-1 is a good season,” added Hall, whose team graduated 16 players and brought back only five with varsity experience. “Winning the MAC Red is a good season. That’s what we’re focusing on right now. We’re focusing on the good, and we told the boys that as bad as that game seemed, we had a good season and to keep their heads up.”
Lake Orion, which has its highest win total since the 2006-07 season, when the Dragons reached the D-1 state quarterfinals, have a goal in mind for this postseason.
“Our goal from the beginning has been to get to Compuware (Arena, site of the Final Four), and anything can happen when you get to the Final Four,” said Robert. “And we know that we’ve got a lot of good competition ahead of us and a lot of good teams.”
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Category: High School, Lake Orion, Prep Wraps
