MD1 Wins Second Straight GLCHL Playoff Title
The MD1 team hosted the GLCHL Playoffs this weekend here at Arrington Ice Arena. The Bulldogs held the #1 overall seed in the tournament after winning the regular season tutkes a few weeks prior.
The Bulldogs first played host to the Calvin College Knights in the semifinal game.
The Bulldogs came out wtih the lead midway through the first period when Chris Donaldson netted a goal at the 10:48 mark of the first. Austin Kuhn and Kyle Perkowski would assist.
The Knights would tie things up at the 7:54 mark of the second period, but Perkowski would give the Dawgs a 2-1 lead at the 10:01 mark.
The Knight would tie the game with 6 seconds remaining in the game to send the two teams into overtime. Brenden Stanko would light the lamp at the 41 second mark of overtime to give the Bulldogs the win and a trip to the GLCHL Championship game. Joe Costello and Mike Finger would assist. Mike Barrett would pick up the win between the pipes, stopping 41 of 43 shots.
The Bulldogs would then host heated rival, the Davenport University Panthers, on Saturday afternoon where they looked to capture their second straight GLCHL Championship title.
Mark Fratarcangeli would give the Bulldogs the first lead of the game midway through the first period with an assist from Mason Vaughan.
Vaughan would come out of the box after a penalty and catch Fratarcangeli's clearing attempt and go in all alone on the Davenport goaltender and net his first of the playoffs to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. Fratarcangeli would be awarded the lone assist. Marcus Rose would tuck in a goal off a rebound later on in the second period to give the Bulldogs a more comfortable 3-0 lead with assists from Manny Silverio and Rainer Glimpel. Joe Costello would net one seconds later to go up 4-0 with an assist from Brenden Stanko. The Panthers would score while four-on-four to cut the Bulldog lead down to 4-1. After two, the 4-1 score would hold.
Glimpel would net a powerplay goal on a major powerplay ten seconds into the third period to make things 5-1 Adrian. Stanko and Fyfe would assist. Silverio would net another powerplay goal minutes later off of assists from Jordan Oshowy and Chrs Donaldson. Fyfe would net a goal of his own to make things 7-1 in the third and final frame with assists from Cooper McLean and Vaughan. The 7-1 score would hold and Mike Barrett would stop every other shot he faced and the Bulldogs would be the 2019 GLCHL Playoff Champions.
The Bulldogs now travel to Dallas, Texas for their first game on March 22nd against the winner of Missouri State vs. Buffalo at 1:30 pm.