CATHOLIC CENTRAL COUGARS 5 AT GRANDVILLE BULLDOGS 3

Nov. 22, 2019

By: Regan Cleves

JENISON, Mich. - The Catholic Central Cougars opened up the 2019-20 campaign on Friday, roaring back from a two-goal deficit in the third period with four unanswered goals to defeat the Grandville Bulldogs by a tally of 5-3. Danny McIntyre and Drew Shively scored their first goals in a Cougar uniform, while senior netminder Ryan McClelland turned aside 27 of 30 shots in the win at Griff’s Georgetown.

Catholic Central (1-0; 1-0) will look to gain its first non-conference victory against Grand Rapids Christian (0-1; 0-0) next Wednesday in a 6:15 p.m. start at Eagles Ice Center.

The first period was quite uneventful, as McClelland (nine saves) and Fisher (seven saves) shut the door for their respective schools, leaving the game scoreless after one period.

The Bulldogs broke the scoreless contest when Matt Turcotte sent a long outlet pass to Jonathan Dubbink from his own end. Dubbink was all alone from the blue line, and he fired it past the glove-hand side of McClelland at 2:04 of the second. Andrew Uturo added to the Grandville lead at 8:24, as he received a pass in the slot from behind the net and snapped it off the left post and in to make it 2-0.

Cougars captain Jake Onstott received an outlet pass at center, streaked down the right wing and put the Cougars on the board with 47 seconds left in the period. While the crowd was still settling down, Uturo picked up a loose puck in the right corner and snipped it short-side over McClelland’s left shoulder at 16:22 to regain the two goal lead for Grandville at 3-1.

Ben Clay sparked the Cougars‘ comeback 3:56 into the final frame, as he tipped home a pass from Onstott on a 2-on-1 to bring the visitors to within one. Thirty seconds later, Bulldogs goalie Fisher misplayed the puck at the top of the circle, allowing Shively to pot his first as a Cougar to tie the game at 4:33.

The Cougars took a 4-3 lead at 9:59 on the power play, as Onstott ripped a shot on goal from the hashmarks of the left-wing circle. Fisher got most of it, but it trickled behind him and lay on the goal line until McIntyre poked it home for the first of his high school career. The Cougars ended the night 1-for-3 on the power play, and killed off both of the Bulldogs’ man advantages. McClelland shut the door the rest of the way, finishing with 27 saves. Zach Grabowski sealed up the game with 15 seconds left with an unassisted empty-net goal.

Three Stars: 1. GRCC Onstott (goal, two assists); 2. GDV Uturo (two goals); 3. GRCC McIntyre (game-winning goal)

Game Center: https://www.mihshockeyhub.com/game/show/27269546?subseason=641364

Highlights: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5_K00GaM5Rg&t=16s

Full Game Broadcast: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tuoc2gqjcug