Warriors’ inaugural season ends with sweep of Detroit-Mercy

Article courtesy of Wayne State Hockey –

Not many teams end their season with a win.  That’s why it is extra special that this season ended in a two-game sweep of Detroit-Mercy for the Warriors Club Hockey team.

Since it is the Warriors’ first season in the ACHA, they are on a probationary period with the American Collegiate Hockey Association which prevents the team from participating in the postseason national championships.  At press time, the team was ranked No. 10 in the North Region and would have gone on to regional playoffs.

With that in mind, the final regular season series against the University of Detroit-Mercy was to be the “Battle of Detroit” between the two schools.  The Warriors came out on the winning end of contests, 3-1 and 7-3.

In Game 1, the Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 13:58 mark of the first period.  Bill Coole found the net on a nice feed from Mike Blazoff to put the Warriors on top.  Bob Toth would add to the lead later in the first, streaking down the right wing side, and going bar-down over the UDM goaltender to give the home team a 2-0 advantage.  Assists on the play went to Rob Adam and Max Corbett.  UDM would cut the lead in half after a deflection in front found its way past Warrior netminder Trevor Sattelmeier.

The scoring was wrapped up in the second period when Cool deposited his second of the game on the power play off of nifty passing from David Champine and Blazoff.  Trevor Sattelmeier earned his team-leading 7th win on the season for the Warriors.

In Game 2, the Warriors jumped out to a quick lead and never relinquished it.  Mike Blazoff had a solid night with his first hat trick of the season, and Brennan Knoblock kept his perfect record in net to finish the season.  David Champine began the scoring at the 1:21 mark of the 1st period after a nice passing play between Bill Coole and Jon Pare, who assisted on the play.  UDM had some fight in them scoring at the 12:48 of the second to tie the game, but all they did was wake the Warriors up.

Blazoff began on the power play, burying off a nice feed from Adam LaFrance at the 10:11 mark.  Then, Coole put the biscuit in the basket on a power play off a nice feed from Evan Swieczkowski at the 5:45 mark.  Mercy would come within a goal, but Blazoff again found twine on the power play with assists going to Julian Horman and Rob Adam at the 19:33 mark of the third period.  Champine would continue the scoring in the 3rd with and assist going to Levi Adams.  To wrap up the scoring, Blazoff capped his night with an unassisted marker at the 10:38 mark of the 3rd period and Levi Adams lit the lamp at the 7:28 mark with an assist going to Max Corbett.

“You can’t ask for anything more than the guys gave this weekend” said coach Frank DiCristofaro.  “As a staff, we look forward to continuing a winning environment here at Wayne State. We would like to thank all of our supporters who came out all year long and look forward to an even better season in 2013-2014.”