NORTON SHORES – The Reeths-Puffer hockey team has struggled with penalties for pretty much the entire season.
The Rockets have paid the price for a lot of those penalties, giving up power play goals at inopportune times.
The penalty bug bit again on Wednesday night, but this time R-P was up to the challenge, killing off three of five opposing power plays with no damage in a 6-3 victory over Grand Haven in a key O-K Conference Fischer Division matchup at Lakeshore Ice Centre.
R-P's Jaxon Stone (13), who passed the career 100-point mark. Photo/Tyler Lirones
The Rockets were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill before the third period, when they finally surrendered two power play goals.
Reeths-Puffer improved to 10-7 overall and 5-1 in the Fischer Division standings.
“It was huge,” said Reeths-Puffer head coach Dustin Langlois about how the penalty kill got his team going early. “That’s something we’ve been struggling with. But we were shutting them down before they could even get it out of their zone. It was really awesome how we handled it.”
Before a penalty had even been called in the game, Connor Stawski got the Rockets on the board when he netted a goal just 6:48 into play.
R-P's Connor Anderson brings the puck over the blue line. Photo/Tyler Lirones
The score remained 1-0 until late in the first period when Trenton Hanks scored a shorthanded goal with 16.5 seconds left on the clock.
In the second period, R-P’s Jaxon Stone netted a power play goal, giving him 100 points in his three-year varsity career.
“That felt really cool,” Stone said. “Doing it here, where I first started hockey at Lakeshore, is something I’ll remember. It feels good and as a team we’re all one family. I’m glad I’m able to get it with this team.”
“He’s got 100 points,” Langlois said about his star senior. “That’s really all the impact you need to know. He’s a kid who works his butt off every day. Nobody wants to win more than him. He gets the job done every night.”
R-P's Tyler Cuti (21) battles a Buccaneer for the puck. Photo/Tyler Lirones
R-P’s Tyler Cuti added a goal to make the score 4-0, then Stone netted his second goal of the night with 6:34 left in the second period to give the Rockets a 5-0 edge.
Grand Haven ended the period with a goal, leaving R-P with a commanding 5-1 lead headed into the third.
After two third period power play goals by Grand Haven, Cuti netted his second goal on a power play with just 1:07 remaining in the game.
Reeths-Puffer outshot Grand Haven 33-22. Goalie Huck VanDyke got the win with 19 saves.
R-P's Buckey Aney (12) tries to gain control of the puck. Photo/Tyler Lirones
The Rockets have now won four of their last five games and five of their last seven.
“It was tough at first,” Langlois, a first-year head coach, said about his team finding its stride. “We had a new staff and new systems. It takes a little bit for guys to grab onto that. Once we got the ball rolling, I think what we’re trying to teach is working.”
The Rockets will return to action on Friday when they take on East Kentwood on the road.
