With a strong performance from Seaholm senior J.D. Hess, Birmingham Unified was able to knock off Hartland 5-4 on Saturday, January 15.
Hess banged home a goal with 2.2 seconds to go in the contest to take BU’s second lead of the game. While scoring the game winner might seem like enough for a player, Hess had more in store. That final goal was his third of the afternoon, giving him his first career varsity hat-trick.The victory brought BU’s record to 4-8-2 on the season. Hess thinks the victory is key heading closer to the playoffs.
“To get two points instead of one was huge for us,” Hess said. “That win was a big momentum builder heading into the later part of the season.”
Hartland knocked home a quick goal on a power play, only six minutes into the game to take an early 1-0 lead at 12:27.
Then about six minutes later, Hess got his first shot to reach the back of the net on the afternoon at 6:09 in the first period. The score was knotted at 1-1 at the final buzzer of the first period.
Both teams came out strong in the second, but it was again Hartland that struck first. Off of a BU turnover Hartland lit up the scoreboard at 11:42 in the second off a breakaway goal to beat senior goaltender Spencer Whitehead.
BU wasted no time getting back on the board, junior Tommy McCloud netted a goal at 10:54 in the second, less than a minute after Hartland’s demoralizing goal.
When Hess knew it was necessary to step up, he did. To take the first lead of the game for BU, Hess nailed a slap shot that just went by the Hartland goalie at 3:37 left in the second period.
Seventeen seconds later, Hartland tied it back up at 3-3 with a quick surge off of the faceoff.
Only 30 seconds had passed in the start of the third period when BU had sent two men to the box to give visiting Hartland a five on three advantage. Resulting in a quick goal at 16:15 to take the lead, 4-3.
At 9:27 left in the third period, groves senior forward Wes McCann tied it back up at 4-4 with a nice goal while riding the boards all the way up the ice.
BU had many more opportunities to close out the game, including a five on three power play of their own to try and seal the deal late. BU ripped off many shots, only to be saved by the Hartland goalie for two long minutes.
As the time wound down on the clock, Groves senior captain Mike Ryan intercepted a pass and made a move into Hartland territory with about five seconds left on the clock. With a great pass from the captain, he found Hess one on one with the goalie and Hess managed to find the five hole, scoring his third goal on the afternoon right through the legs of the Hartland goalie.
Seaholm senior defenseman John Quay knew that the hard play all game would only help the team.
“We played hard until the end,” Quay said. “Luckily it came out in our favor today.” BU has won two of their last three games, beating a strong Ann Arbor Pioneer team 3-2 and losing to a strong Northville team, 4-3.
Seaholm senior forward James Bertrand believes that the last couple wins are good motivation for the team heading forward.
“The Hartland game was a huge victory for us,” Bertrand said. “The team really seems to be coming together lately, bring on the playoffs baby.”
BU’s record currently sits at 4-8-2 and their next game is a home game at Birmingham Ice Arena at 7:30 tonight against Rochester Unified.
