PLYMOUTH — It wasn’t a truly perfect performance by the Hartland hockey team’s power play.
But it was close enough, and special teams played a key role as Hartland rolled past Ada Forest Hills Northern-Eastern, 9-1, in a Division 2 semifinal at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.
Click here for the archived broadcast!
The Eagles scored five power-play goals, three by Jake Behnke, and overwhelmed Northern-Eastern from the start.
It started when John Druskunis scored from the blue line just 53 seconds into the game.
“That was huge,” senior Josh Albring said. “We talked in the locker room about how much we want to start on time, and how much that means in the games.”
Behnke scored his first power-play goal a little past the midway point of the first, and Joey Larson scored on another power play later in the period, and the Eagles were on their way.
In all, Hartland scored five times with the man advantage, making the most of seven power plays.
Hartland (23-6-1) will take on Trenton (20-8-2) in Saturday’s 10 a.m. Division 2 championship game. The teams met in the 2014 title game, which Trenton won.
Hartland lost in the semifinals the last two years, and the losses motivated the Eagles this year.
“One of the main reasons a lot of us seniors came back for our senior years is because the coaches have put so much into it,” said Albring, who had four assists. “It’s huge because they’ve worked at it for 7-8 years now.
“Coming up short the last two years to (Brother) Rice and (LIvonia)Stevenson was definitely a shot to the gut,” he added. “But it feels good to be back, and I think we’re more ready than ever.”
It looked like it on Thursday, and coach Rick Gadwa concurred.
“I think it’s the best we’ve played here in seven years,” he said. “I’m happy with that.”
The Eagles were stalwart on defense, too, killing off a four-minute penalty that became a 5-on-3 Forest Hills advantage for two minutes. Goalie Brett Tome turned aside all but one shot, that goal coming on another Forest Hills power play.
The Hartland player who was in the box, Gabe Anderson, later scored for the Eagles, ended the game with 22 seconds left with a goal.
Asked if that got Anderson out of any kind of doghouse, Gadwa smiled.
“It’s redemption of a sort,” he said. “He’s not on my bad list.”
Gadwa, in his seventh season, is a Hartland alum. But he says his status as an alum isn’t what’s most important to him when it comes to his team’s chances of winning a state title.
“The school is No. 1,” he said. “That’s what we’re all about. We’re always team-oriented. It’s about the team. For me, as great as it is for everyone else, it’s something we all want together.”
