Asuncion’s OT goal lifts Rochester past Stoney Creek

BY DAVID BOIKE

CORRESPONDENT

ROCHESTER HILLS — Large gatherings on Thanksgiving weekend are commonplace. There was another one involving the hockey community in Rochester Hills Saturday night.

It was a party that Evan Asuncion became the toast at for half of the guests.

The sophomore scored at the 2:04 mark of overtime, in leading Rochester United to a 4-3 boys hockey triumph over Rochester Stoney Creek in the OAA Red Division opener for both schools at the Onyx Ice Arena.

The game was played in front of a capacity crowd, the perfect gathering for arch-rivals. 

Asuncion knocked in a rebound in a wild goal mouth scramble for the game-winner. Prior to Asuncion’s winning goal, the Stoney Creek No. 1 line of seniors Matt, Dom Zuelch and Brian Gill carried the play to Rochester United during the overtime period only to see the counterattack. 

United goalie, Brody Blair, was called upon to make two key glove saves that could have ended the game in Stoney Creek’s favor — it was just that close.

 United entered the third period up a goal at 2-1 when an early penalty shifted the momentum of play over to Stoney Creek. Within less than two minutes into the third, Matt Zuelch converted a set of pinpoint passes from his line mates into the open side of the United net to tie the score. 

Over the next several minutes, relying heavily on the Zuelch brothers and Gill line, Stoney Creek effectively moved the puck repeatedly into the United zone and hit the crossbar and goal post on more than one occasion, and a determined goalie in Blair. 

Ultimately under the sustained pressure, the Cougars’ Cameron O’Shea put them ahead at 3-2 with six minutes left in the game to the thrill of at least half the crowd.

Yet another momentum swing was still in store — with four minutes left in the game United went on the power play.  Winning puck possession deep in the Stoney defensive zone, senior United forward Adam Boike found Matt Bowery left open at the point who was able to unleash a low drive that found an open corner and knotted the score at 3-3.

From there, Stoney Creek responded by carrying the play for the remaining time in regulation. With seven seconds left in the game, the ever dangerous Matt Zuelch, who had moved through the United defensive zone at will for most of the game, gained the zone again in full flight intent on breaking in on the United goal. 

United’s Tony Nassar recently moved to defense had other ideas. Nassar, playing a strong game all night from the defensive position — stayed step-for-step with Zuelch and separated him from the puck with a clean hip check to thwart the threat and move the game into overtime.

There were four lead changes in the game with Stoney opening the scoring at 12:11 in the first period on a hard wrist shot from Drew Stanbury with an assist from O’Shea. 

Eight minutes later United’s Dylan Oppenheiser tied the score on a back-hander assisted by Frank Scheff. United then took its first lead at twelve minute mark in the second period with a beautiful short-handed, unassisted goal from Brent Boudreau.

With the victory, Rochester United, became the inaugural winner of the Kurt Scipione City Championship Cup. The trophy is in honor of Scipione, a highly-regarded hockey prospect who graduated from Stoney Creek High School in 2010 and lost a 20-month battle with a rare form of cancer in June, 2010.  It is a memorial cup, which is presented to the winner of the Rochester United vs. Stoney Creek Varsity Boys Ice Hockey game. The Scipione Cup will be engraved annually for the team that wins the season’s series.

Stoney Creek and Rochester United will compete again on Jan. 21, 2012.

Tags: boys hockey, high school boys hockey, hockey, OAA Red Division Boys Hockey, prep boys hockey, Rochester Stoney Creek Boys Hockey, Rochester United Boys Hockey

Category: Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps