Week 9
After 8 weeks of play (record of 11-2-0-0), the team highlights are below:
Leading in Goals: Brendan Danou (16)
Leading in Assists: Brendan Danou (19)
Leading in Points: Brendan Danou (35)
Team Powerplay: 13 of 42 (30.95%)
Team Penalty Kill %: 46 of 52 (88.46%)
Leader in Wins: Tate Potteiger (7)
Leader in GAA (at least 100 minutes played): Evan Hays (1.35)
Leader in Save % (at least 100 minutes played): Tate Potteiger (94.76%)
Week 9 Preview (#7 Grand Valley State University)
The #4 ranked Golden Grizzlies continue their 2024-2025 season this coming weekend with a pair of games against cross-conference (MCHC-West) opponent #7 Grand Valley State University (9-2-0-0). Oakland plays a GVSU team that has given the Golden Grizzlies trouble in the past few seasons and is led by ACHA DIII Coach of the Year Dylan Knox. Before the Thanksgiving break, the Lakers played cross-conference opponent Davenport University and swept them by scores of 14-0 and 12-0. In other action this season, the Lakers have wins against like opponents in Miami of Ohio and Central Michigan while splitting with nationally ranked Calvin University and Lawrence Tech University. Coach Stirling and his staff are a troubling 2-9-0-0 against the Grand Valley State Lakers all-time and lost the last 8 games against GVSU. Oakland will be on the road Friday as they head to Griff’s Georgetown for a Friday night game at 7:30 PM. The Grizzlies will then host the Lakers on Saturday at 5:30 PM.
In last season’s games, the Grizzlies were on the wrong side of a 5-2 loss at home on night one and had a similar result with a 4-3 loss at Griff’s Georgetown on night two. The Grizzlies would see the night two loss as one of the factors for not making the national tournament later in the year as the Grizzlies took four penalties in the 3rd period to cost them the game. The Lakers season would continue where they finished as the National Runner Up to LTU in the 2023-2024 campaign.
GVSU is led by returning forwards #96 Steve Myers (Rochester, MI), #94 Jack Myers (Rochester, MI), and #11 Justin Chevalier (Troy, MI). Steve Myers is on quite the pace this season as he comes into the weekend with 23 points in 10 games played. Myers, Myers, and Chevalier have compiled 20 of the 61 goals for the Lakers so far this season. The Lakers also have outstanding depth and mirror a style comparable to that of the Golden Grizzlies. In net for the Lakers has been the tandem of Ryan Price (Livonia, MI) and Robert Masters (Novi, MI). The two have combined for 11 of the 11 starts this season and have the following stat lines:
- #31 Robert Masters GP: 6, Record of 4-1-0, GAA: 2.55, Save %: 91.00
- #35 Ryan Price GP: 5, Record of 4-1-0, GAA: 1.91, Save %: 91.20
Both goalies played in the games last season, and each came away with a victory in their respective games.
Other News and Notes:
The Golden Grizzlies family would like to take a moment to remember long-time Calvin Head Coach Mike Petrusma who passed away this past month. Mike was a foundational piece in the development of the MCHC conference and served in the Calvin Hockey organization for over 25 years while seeing over 750 games for the Knights. More information about coach Petrusma can be found in the following article below: Longtime Calvin Hockey Coach Mike Petrusma Passes Away
The third-ranking period of the season will be announced this week via social media and the ACHA website. The Golden Grizzlies claimed the 4th spot in the country in the second-ranking period with plenty of movement around the Golden Grizzlies. Rankings #3 will be everything played through 12/01/2024 (Thanksgiving break included) and will include the CMU games. The rankings will continue throughout the season on a bi-weekly basis until the final ranking period in February. The top 16 teams with some automatic bids for league winners will make the tournament which is hosted in St. Louis this season. This is the highest the team has been ranked in the second ranking period since the 2016-2017 season.
Out of Town Schedule for Week 9 Relevant Games (Rankings from Ranking #2)
#2 Hope vs #31 Saint Vincent
#3 Calvin vs #42 Ferris State
#8 Notre Dame vs #49 Western Michigan
#11 Northern Arizona vs #16 Arizona State
#25 Florida Gulf Coast University vs #47 UMass
#15 Dordt vs #50 University of Nebraska Omaha
MCHC – East Standings (As of 12/3/2024)
1 | LTU (4-0-0-0) | 8 |
T2 | Oakland (2-0-0-0) | 4 |
T2 | Michigan (2-0-0-0) | 4 |
4 | CMU (2-4-0-0) | 4 |
5 | U of M – Flint (0-2-0-0) | 0 |
6 | Adrian (0-4-0-0) | 0 |
Please visit our website https://oaklandhockeyd3.acha.hockeytech.com for more information about game times, stats, and more.