BOYS HOCKEY: Rochester United rallies past Macomb Dakota in 2OTs to gain first regional championship since 2009
BY DAN STICKRDT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
MACOMB TWP. — Perhaps Rochester United didn’t mind working a bunch of overtime Saturday night. The rewards were more than worth it.
Senior Michael Zyrek scored with 2:40 left in the second overtime in leading fifth-ranked United to a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over ninth-ranked Macomb Dakota to claim the program’s first Division 1 regional title since 2009 at Suburban Ice-Macomb.
The marathon contest took nearly 2 hours, 30 minutes to complete, and ended at 10:44 p.m. But United, a combined team of athletes from both Rochester and Rochester Adams, continued its best season in program history after many disappointing postseason exits in recent years.
Blades of Glory: Rochester United captured its first Division 1 regional title since 2009 with a thrilling, 3-2, triumph Saturday over Macomb Dakota. Donated Photo | Rochester United Hockey
“We just kept grinding away and we had some chances in the second overtime. We finally got one through,” said third-year Rochester United coach Bryn Kowalski. “Michael Zyrek got a shot off at the point and it sneaked through. This was one of our goals all season — to win a regional. These guys have never won before and it’s been such a great season. Last year we lost in the first round. We beat Eisenhower in the first tournament game after they beat us last year and we beat Dakota after they beat us right after Christmas.”
Previously, United was 1-4 in regional finals dating back to its debut season in 2001, winning a regional in 2009 and losing in the regional finals in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. This year’s team is now 25-3-0 — best record in program history.
Dakota, which captured regional titles the past two years, was the last team to defeat Rochester United this season, topping them 2-0 back on Dec. 27. United has now won 17 straight games, including three straight in the postseason where United has outscored the opposition, 22-2.
“A lot of teams out there have one really good line, maybe two, but I think we have a lot of depth. We have three solid lines and I think that really helps us. We can wear teams down a little bit,” said Kowalski. “I thought we outshot them by a good margin, maybe 10 or 15 shots. We had a ton of chances and we found a way to win this game.”
Rochester United held a 38-23 shots edge in the game, but none was bigger than Zyrek’s long-range shot, which sends RU to the state quarterfinals for just the second time in program history.
Niko Mantzios and Marcello Munaco scored the goals in regulation for RU with Munaco tallying two assists. Austin Streng, Kyle Crutchfield, Zyrek and Cole Ferguson also had assists on the night.
Zack Pendrick and Joe Gavlinski netted goals for Dakota (19-8-0). Gavlinski scored with 8 minutes left in the third period on a power-play to force overtime.
Domenico Munaco stopped 21 of 23 shots on the night for Rochester United.
“We have two solid goalkeepers and Domenico has really steppe dup lately against some good teams,” said Kowalski. “He played well in our OAA showcase game against Clarkston, he played against (Utica) Eisenhower in our first tournament game and he played well in this game against Dakota.”
Michael Kwapisz made 35 saves for Dakota. United peppered the Cougars’ net in the second overtime until succumbing to the high powered United offensive juggernaught, which has outscored its opposition by a 142-35 margin over 28 games.
Rochester United skates into the state quarterfinals Wednesday and will face Orchard Lake St. Mary’s ay 7 p.m., also at Suburban Ice Arena-Macomb.
On a night when no one wanted to go home early, Rochester United found itself in a place it had never been before.
Senior Michael Zyrek scored with 2:40 left in the second overtime Saturday night to lift RU to its first regional hockey championship with a 3-2 Division 1 victory over Dakota at Suburban Ice Macomb.
Zyrek’s goal ended at 9:44 p.m. a game that started later than its 7 p.m. scheduled start because the regional final that preceded it went two overtimes before Port Huron Northern defeated Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 4-3.
Niko Mantzios and Marcello Munaco also scored a goal apiece for senior-laden Rochester United.
“The boys played great,” Zyrek said.
RU’s Austin Streng and Jack Myers had prime scoring chances in the second OT before Zyrek delivered the game winner.
“I’m proud of the guys for guttin’ it out and getting the first (regional final) win in history,” RU coach Bryan Kowalski said. “We knew it was going to be a really good battle.”
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Dakota’s Nathan Puma and Aaron Jagdfeld of Rochester United take a faceoff.
Dakota forced overtime when Joe Gavlinski, who had been camped to the right of the net, roofed a wrist shot while the Cougars were on a power play.
A moment earlier, Dakota had had a two-man advantage, but Rochester United killed off that Cougar opportunity.
“I thought when we killed off the five-on-three we were going to win the game,” Kowalski said. “But it wound up going to overtime — and little more dramatic.”
Zack Pendrick scored the first Dakota goal.
The Cougars were trying to win a third consecutive regional championship.
“It was a fantastic game,” Dakota coach Jim Andonoff said. “Both teams played hard. They got a bounce.
“Congratulations to them.”
Rochester United plays Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a state quarterfinal game at Suburban Ice Macomb.
Division 2
Brendan Dickinson scored with 1:04 left in the second overtime to lift Port Huron Northern to a 4-3 victory over Rochester Hills Stoney Creek in a Division 2 regional championship game at Suburban Ice Macomb on Saturday. Logan O’Flanagan’s second goal of the game with 33.4 seconds left in regulation time lifted Port Huron Northern into a 3-3 tie. Chad Noetzel also scored for the Huskies. Mason Burkhart scored two goals and Spencer Lustila one for Stoney Creek.
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