Hockey Picks Up Win in Final Home Game

(Howell, MI)-- There was plenty of excitement at 140 Ice Den Friday evening, as the Cleary Cougar hockey team welcomed the Aquinas College Saints for the final home game of the 2023-24 season.

Cleary would strike first in the first period when Jonny Gardiner scored, with an assist from Reno Parker, to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.  The Saints would answer late in the period, and the two teams would head to the locker rooms tied 1-1 after twenty minutes.

Aquinas would take the lead just two minutes into the second period, but Cleary would re-tie the game six minutes later, when Bennett Sheppard scored, with an assist from Jonny Gardiner.  Just over a minute later, Zack Wiener sent a beautiful two line pass to Billy Simms, who was left one vs. the goalie, and Simms won that battle to give the Cougars a 3-2 lead.  With five minutes to play in the period, Aquinas would score their third goal, once again tying the game.  The tie did not last, however, as Ben Gledhow would score, with assists from Bennett Sheppard and Garrett Alton to give the Cougars the lead.  Still in the second period, Jonny Gardiner extended the Cougar lead, with assists from Bennett Sheppard and Derry MacBeth, and Cleary would lead 5-3 through two periods of play.

After a five minute major penalty was called against the Saints, Cleary took advantage, as Ben Gledhow scored an insurance goal, with assists from Jonny Gardiner and Bennett Sheppard, to make the score 6-3.  Cleary's defense stood tall, as the Cougars went on to win by that score.

Tyler Krasofsky made 21 saves on 24 shots faced to pick up his fifth win of the season.  Jonny Gardiner led Cleary with two goals and two assists, while Ben Bledhow added two goals.  Bennett Sheppard would have one goal and three assists in the game. A chippy affair, the two teams combined for 80 penalty minutes in the contest.

Cleary will wrap up their regular season with a trip to Byron Center's SouthSide Ice Arena on Saturday, when the two teams meet again.  The puck will drop at 7:30 PM.

*Picture Courtesy of BadCatMedia*