TC Central regains McCullough Cup

BY JAMES COOK
jcook@record-eagle.com

February 01, 2008 04:00 am

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TRAVERSE CITY -- The only game in town -- almost literally -- didn't disappoint.

Traverse City Central took control early with two goals in the first 1:11 to take the Jeff McCullough Memorial Cup back with a 6-1 victory over Traverse City West.

Well, sort of.

The Trojans will get the Cup back when someone finds the keys.

After the game, the teams lined up on their blue lines for a presentation of the Cup, which West won for just the second time in 10 years last season.

One problem: No Cup.

The trophy remained locked up in the TC West trophy case Wednesday evening.

"It's our trophy," said Central forward Derek Gardiner, who was credited with two goals, both of which he says he didn't score. "Jeff was a Trojan. Every year we want to get it back.

"They get it after all these years and they steal it," Gardiner joked.

"He was a Trojan," Central forward Nick Aja said. "He lived on the West side, but there was only one team then. Even if there were two schools, he'd still play at Central."

TCAPS canceled all its other athletic events due to the winter storm that hit Traverse City Tuesday night. Only hockey remained.

And it's a good thing it did for Central (12-4-1, 6-1 BNC).

The Trojans didn't take very long to get on the scoreboard in a match-up of state-ranked teams that came into the game tied atop the league standings.

Central struck 25 seconds into the game. Gardiner was credited with his fourth goal of the season.

"I didn't even score that one," Gardiner said. "They threw it in on their own net. We dumped it in and got on it and they rushed it."

Gardiner was the closest offensive player to the puck when it dribbled in off the left pad of a surprised Nate Wilson as a defender tried to backhand the puck to the boards.

Central increased the early bulge to two goals when Aja found Adam Swy open at the point and Swy delivered a slapshot that deflected off a defender's leg and into the twine.

"That's a killer," Central coach Chris Givens said. "Twenty-five seconds into a big game like this. To have two in 1:11 in, that's the kind of start we're looking for."

Suddenly, West found itself in a big hole.

But West got right back into things with a David Hanrahan blast from just inside the blue line that skipped off the ice and went through the five-hole. Mitch Snider drew an assist on the goal 5:14 into the game.

But Kyle Ulrich scooped up the rebound of a Riley Huffman shot and let loose with a wrister from in between the circles that clanked off the back bar for a 3-1 lead to stall West's short-lived momentum.

"That sure did," West coach Jeremy Rintala said. "It's tough to give up two early and come back on a good team. But we fought back and made it 2-1. When they scored that third one, it took the wind right out of our sails again.

"Their goalie played great."

Central netminder Hunter Kelly made 18 saves on 19 shots on goal for the Trojans, improving his record on the season to 7-4-1 and lowering his goals against average to 1.90.

"The last four or five games he's played very, very well," Givens said. "There was a period there in the second and again in the third where they took it to us, and that's when you need your goalie to step up. And he did."

Division 2 No. 7-ranked Central struck early in the second after West (12-6, 5-2 BNC) was called for too many players on the ice.

Alex Goodhue roofed a rebound on the doorstep for a 4-1 lead 35 seconds into the period, as Luke Stricker and Dane Macdonell assisted. The score came nine ticks after a Trojan goal was waived off by the referees.

Benn Overholt came on in relief of Wilson in goal and made 16 saves on 18 shots. Wilson made 12 stops.

With 3:18 left in the game, Gardiner scored again, with Chris Archambo and Jared VanWormer drawing assists.

"I didn't actually score that one, either," Gardiner said. "I think Archambo got it. He got the rebound."

Gardiner's shot rang off the left post and Archambo appeared to bat it out of the air and into the net.

Regardless, Central led 5-1.

Stricker took a puck off the boards and roofed it from in tight for the 6-1 final. Travis Clary and Aja -- who also assisted on Ulrich's goals -- drew helpers.

"We always go into West games thinking it's important, but not just because of the rivalry," Aja said. "It's also because it's usually for the Big North."

Central now has three BNC games left, and will claim the conference title if they can win out. The Trojans still have dates left with Alpena, Gaylord and Cadillac. West has league foes Cadillac, Gaylord and Petoskey remaining.

The Division 1 No. 7-ranked Titans were a little sluggish at times, coming off a 10-day break since their last game, a 4-1 win over Alpena on Jan. 19.

"We talked about it (Tuesday) at practice and before the game," Givens said. "We've been through that and we'll have that at the end of the year."

The Trojans will have a nine-day layoff between their Feb. 13 contest against Cadillac and their regular-season finale at Sault Ste. Marie Feb. 22.

Neither team has very long off this time around.

"We've got to regroup," Rintala said. "We've got another Big North game against Cadillac on Friday. We know we can be right back in it if Central has an off night. We don't control our own destiny anymore. We need some help now."

Central will face Division 2 No. 8-ranked Alpena on Friday in a crucial league game in order to hold onto its hard-fought BNC lead. Givens is giving the team today off.

"We'll be a little motivated to beat them in their building," Gardiner said.

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