Traverse City Bay Reps edge out TC Central 2-1 at 9th annual Veterans Cup

Jan. 29—ACME — It took about as long to find a parking spot Saturday at Centre Ice Arena as it did for one of the hockey teams to score a goal.

No one scored a goal in the first period after a lengthy back and forth, but the goals slowly came in the second and third. Grant Lucas scored the game-winning, short-handed goal in the third period to deliver a 2-1 win for the Bay Reps (12-4-2) over Traverse City Central (10-6-3).

Both teams were part of the pregame ceremony for the ninth annual Veterans Cup that honored military veterans. Each player had a customized jersey with their honored veteran. After the game, they gave their jerseys to who the person they played for.

Bay Reps senior Riley Pierce played for his grandpa Tom Pierce — a retired U.S. Army veteran. Tom was also one of the honorary captains, dropping the ceremonial puck before the game started.

"It's a ton of emotions," Riley said. "For me, to get this W with my grandpa in the stands, and it's my senior year, it was important to me."

Even with the lengthy intermission, both teams came out with energy and purpose, especially in the third period when it was tied 1-1.

TC Central's first goal was off a power play that Koen Burkholder scored a goal on his cousin, Reps goalie Garrett Hathaway, in the second period to tie the game 1-1.

After an errant pass from the Trojan power-play unit, Lucas stole the puck with no one near him and shot it. Trojans' goalkeeper Brady Faille saved it off his chest, but Lucas collected the rebound and scored the go-ahead goal.

"Credit to Grant for following up his rebound like that," TC Central head coach Chris Givens said. "There's not too many players that would score that kind of goal."

Pierce said he couldn't watch when he headed to the box a second time in the same period because he didn't want the Trojans to score another power-play goal and be the reason for it.

"I was excited for Lucas when he scored that while I was in the box," he said. "I didn't expect it."

The Trojans didn't quit despite being down.

They had multiple chances to tie it, but the hands of Hathaway prevented that. Trojans senior captain Tyler Cooper finished his time in the penalty box and was gifted the puck on his way out with no one but Hathaway in front of him.

Cooper sent the puck to the top corner, but it was snatched away by Hathaway. TC Central had another chance with 10 seconds remaining, but the glove of Hathaway saved the day again.

"He was dialed in and made a huge save for us in the third period on a breakaway that could've tied the game," Bay Reps head coach Mike Matteucci said. "Excited for Garrett and his performance."

Hathaway ended the game with 19 saves — seven in the second and third periods.

The Reps' Ethan Coleman scored the first goal in the second period with just one glove on, but not having a goal in the first period had nothing to do with the crowd and everything that came with it.

Playing in front of a large crowd didn't affect Pierce, and both coaches noted they haven't played in front of such a large crowd all season.

"I thought the kids handled it well," Matteucci said. "I'm pleased with the way they handled the crowd. This will be the biggest crowd they play in front of all year so it was a good treat for them and us."

While Hathaway made saves that saved the game, Faille did the same despite the go-ahead goal.

In the first period, he turned away 14 shots, even with the Reps controlling the possession for large portions of the period.

"We could've lost that game easily in the first period if it wasn't for Brady," Givens said. "You get 14 shots to five, and you get to intermission, and it's still a zero-zero game. Credit to Brady for keeping us in it."

Faille finished the game with 26 saves. After stopping 14 shots in the first, the senior goalkeeper saved six apiece in the second and third periods.

After playing three games this past week, TC Central gets a few days off before their Big North rematch against Petoskey on Wednesday.

The Bay Reps' next game is in Trenton for the MIHL Showcase. They play against Saint Edwards (Ohio) Friday and Detroit Country Day on Saturday. Central also plays in the Showcase, facing Cranbrook on Friday and Warren DeLaSalle on Saturday.

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