Brighton hockey coach Paul Moggach admits he knows little about his team’s opponent in tonight’s Division 1 semifinal.
“We’ve looked at their record, and we know who their leading scorers are,” he said of Grandville. “But until we see them, there’s nothing we can do. We play our game and see how they respond. We won’t worry about theirs.”
The Bulldogs (21-8) will meet Grandville (22-5-1), also called the Bulldogs, at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. at around 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on The Livingston Post.
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It will be the second half of a Division 1 doubleheader, following a game between Detroit Catholic Central and U-D Jesuit.
The semifinals feature four of the top six teams in the final coaches poll. Catholic Central was No. 1, followed directly by Brighton and U-D Jesuit, with Grandville at No. 6.
“You have to go in there and play your style and set the tempo,” Moggach said. “But you can’t tell until you get there. Scouting isn’t always reliable. I could see them play, but players haven’t. So we’ll just do what we have to do.”
Grandville is in the semifinals for the second time in three years. In 2014, the Bulldogs played the same day their captain, Ryan Fischer, died in his sleep the night before from an enlarged heart.
Grandville lost to Detroit Catholic Central that night, and the teams have played in each of the last two seasons, with Grandville winning 4-2 on Feb. 13.
Grandville’s coach, Joel Breazeale, is a 1985 graduate of Lakeland High School.
As for Moggach, he is banking on, among other things, his team’s schedule to come into play tonight.
“We play a tougher schedule, and that helps,” he said. “We have things going in that are good for us, but we have to play. We have to do a better job controlling the puck, and we have to get the puck on the net. If you blow opportunities by missing the net, it’s a letdown. We need to do a better job with the puck in their end.”
Another factor, he said, was his team’s schedule this week, a grueling stretch of three games in four days, combined with school.
“It’s a tough schedule,” he said. “It’s hard to get up at 6 a.m. for school, because by 3 they’ll be exhausted. Last night we didn’t get out of Lansing until late and I don’t think anyone got to sleep until after midnight. It’s a marathon.”
On the other hand, it’s one that Bulldogs on each side are willing to undertake.
“I started my AAA career with Compuware,” said Jake Crespi, who had a hat trick in Wednesday’s quarterfinals win over East Kentwood. “I’m familiar with the rink, and it’s got an awesome atmosphere and I’ve heard nothing but good things from the boys when they played in a semifinal or a final game there. The atmosphere is loud and awesome. I hope we can come out strong on Friday.”
