Northmen hockey exits opening weekend 1-1 after Saturday victory

PETOSKEY — The Petoskey hockey team knew generating scoring opportunities and taking advantage of them would be the biggest early season challenge.

On Friday at the Petoskey Ice Area, it showed at times in an opening season loss, as the Northmen couldn’t capitalize on a number of power play chances and eventually dropped a 6-4 game against L’Anse Creuse Unified.

Luckily for Petoskey, a Saturday meeting against St. Claire Shores Unified offered an immediate chance to put a better product on the ice, an opportunity they didn’t take lightly.

Behind a hat trick from Kolton Horn and two-goal game from Rayce Szalkowski and Chris Kavanaugh, the Northmen rolled to their first win of the 2021-22 season in an 8-3 victory.

After failing to put the puck on L’Anse Creuse’s net Friday, Petoskey head coach Rob Higgins saw that change Saturday.

“The big thing was shots,” he said. “We had that goal of 10 shots per period and we ended with 46 shots. Adding Friday’s and Saturday’s games together, we did pass our 10 shot goal, but it came in two games. I was happy with that, but we need to make sure to do that every game.”

Petoskey led 2-0 after the opening period Saturday, then 6-2 heading to the third, before another two-goal period by the Northmen.

Horn earned himself a hat-trick with three goals, Szalkowski had two assists to go with his two goals and Kavanaugh also had an assist. Also for petoskey, Dylan Robinson had a goal and three assists and Jordan Troxel had three assists.

“Robinson had a great game, Szalkowski had a great game, Horn had a great game, Cavanaugh,” said Higgins. “All those kids I expect to step up, stepped up. Jordan Troxel, he probably had one of the most complete games we’ve seen him play ever. He had his head in the game, making plays and scoring plays, not just running around hitting people.”

Wyatt Stinger also had two assists and Tate Wilder, Wyatt Stemple and Avery Timm all added an assist each.

In goal, Mason Bird and Joseph Wolfe each saw time, making eight and seven saves, respectively.

With Bird and Wolfe playing Saturday and freshman Gavin Szalkowski starting Friday, Higgins got a look at all three goalies the opening weekend, which comes as a big jump up from having just one new goalie on the roster just two years back.

“It was sweet, especially coming from a position where we had one sort of goalie that had never played before,” he said. “To be able to see all three in the same weekend and all three performing, it was nice.”

Against L’Anse Creuse in the opener, the first two periods of play came even, with Petoskey actually going up 1-0 on a goal by Kavanaugh from Robinson.

The Crusaders then tied it back at 1-1 five minutes later, then Tommy Guiney of Petoskey put the Northmen up 2-1 off an assist from Wilder.

The period later closed in a 2-2 game after L’Anse Creuse picked up a goal from their own far bench off a deflection.

Things stayed even after the second and Northmen goal by Szalkowski from Noah Bodurka and Horn, then another goal by the Crusaders.

For the third straight period, Petoskey was first to find the scoreboard, with Robinson scoring after stealing the puck in L’Anse Creuse’s zone and getting a quick shot off to make it 5-4 midway through.

Things went south from there, however, as the Northmen generated just two more shots on net the rest of the period.

“We historically have a problem playing a full game,” said Higgins. “We have those lulls and they cost us. We set a goal at the beginning of the game of at least 10 shots per period. The first period we had six, the second period we had a lot more with 12, we were looking to make up some ground and got some momentum going. Then the third period we didn’t have a single shot until nine minutes left.”

Higgins did feel his young freshman goalie performed well in his first action, with Szalkowski coming away with 24 saves.

“Gavin played great,” he said. “A fantastic debut for him. He did very well to hold us in there. There were a few more that very easily could have gone in and their first three goals were all deflections or tips.”

Petoskey will get in one more game before the Thanksgiving break, as they’ll hit the road for their first Northern Michigan Hockey League game of the season and meet Cheboygan on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

Cheboygan will head in at 1-2 on the season, while coming off its first win over Negaunee.

“Looking forward to Tuesday,” added Higgins. “It’s always a rivalry game and they play hard. We’re going to prepare and hope for the best.”

Contact Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny