Dearborn Divine Little one hockey skates previous Riverview-Cabrini United w/ PHOTO GALLERY – Southgate Information Herald

The opening week of Michigan highschool hockey video games continued Thursday night with a Metro League West Division tilt between two space groups.

Riverview-Cabrini United at Dearborn Divine Child hockey photo gallery

Dearborn Divine Little one kicked off its season, at dwelling, towards the Riverview Cabrini United co-op squad on the Taylor Sportsplex.

It was a formidable opening evening for the host Falcons, as they cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Pirates.

“I feel, with a variety of emotion from the group, we got here out firing,” mentioned Divine Little one coach Mike McNamara. “Within the first three or 4 minutes, I feel we had been a bit of nervous. (Riverview) took it to us early however we settled in.”

A late objective within the first and one other early within the second helped set the tone for Divine Little one (1-0, 1-0 Metro League West) who put 40 photographs on objective within the win. RCU had a fast reply after falling behind by two targets however the Falcons countered with 4 unanswered to blow issues open, together with three targets within the span of 61 seconds early within the third.

“That was a giant level of focus from us to them,” McNamara mentioned. “Simply get photographs on web, we’re by no means going to get mad about photographs on web, put them wherever you possibly can.”

4 totally different Divine Little one skaters had a multi-point evening on Thursday. Freshman Sam Gordon led the way in which with three targets, he was chargeable for all three targets in that 61-second scoring spree for the Falcons.

Braeden McNamara delivered a four-point efficiency with two targets and two assists. Dylan Ross matched McNamara’s 4 factors with a objective and three assists. Christopher Welch had a objective and an help and Alessandro DiDomenico had one help.

Ethan Horen and Jayce Johnson had the targets for the Pirates (1-1, 1-1 Metro League West) whereas Nicholas Burns had an help.

Particular groups had been on show for each groups on Thursday, significantly for Divine Little one. Two of the seven targets for the hosts got here on the man-advantage. Their first objective of the sport, in the meantime, was short-handed. RCU additionally scored as soon as whereas on the penalty kill.

There have been energy play alternatives for either side as a result of a mixed 17 penalties within the recreation. That was actually the one destructive that McNamara took away.

“I didn’t have lots to complain about afterwards, apart from silly penalties,” McNamara mentioned. “We can’t play with 9 penalties, that may solely kill us. Aside from that, it’s a nice first recreation.”

RCU coach Tim Ames declined to remark after the sport.

Of the 18 gamers listed on this yr’s roster for the Pirates, 10 are underclassmen together with seven freshmen. The staff can be at present a bit undermanned as two gamers — Jalen McCray and Braedyn Evans — are additionally members of the college’s soccer staff, which is taking part in in a state semifinal on Saturday.

McNamara is in an identical spot to Ames, having to switch 9 graduates from the yr prior. Even with simply two seniors amongst their returning gamers for the brand new marketing campaign, McNamara likes the make-up and potential of this yr’s Falcons.

“We’re not a egocentric staff however we’ll be extra of a grinding staff this yr,” McNamara mentioned. “(Final yr’s) senior class was about as shut of a senior class as you’ll see. We knew coming into this yr it might be powerful. These two juniors-turned-seniors have a variety of shoulders however I feel we will put collectively a fairly good season.”

Each groups will return to recreation motion on Monday, Nov. 21.

Divine Little one will keep dwelling and host one other Metro League East Division foe in Grosse Ile at 7:10 p.m. Riverview in the meantime will return to its dwelling ice at Kennedy Enviornment in Trenton and welcome in Allen Park at 7:30 p.m.