Saline Hockey Holds Off Chelsea in SEC Showdown

The Saline hockey team came up with a huge home win Thursday night when the Hornets held on to take down Chelsea in a SEC battle between the top two teams in the SEC Red and White divisions.

The teams entered the contest on top of their divisions and are both ranked in the state.

It was the Hornets that came out quickly Aidan Granica found the net unassisted in the first period.

It would stay that until early in the second when Bryce Ronewicz knocked one home to make it 2-0 Saline at 14:30 of the second.

Saline would make it 3-0 when Andrew Updike tipped the puck past a Chelsea defender and sent the Hornets in on a two-on-one. Updike sent a crossing pass that Blake Woodrel ripped home to extend the Hornets lead.

Mateo Iadipaolo then sent one into the net to push the Hornets lead to 4-0 with an assist to Woodrel at 10:48.

Chelsea would get one back when Jack Roberts knocked a pass from Brandan Davila home to cut the lead to 4-1 heading to the fourth.

The Bulldogs had a short 5 on 3 early in the third, but could not score, keeping it 4-1 Hornets.

Keegan Montgomery ripped a shot home on the power play for the Bulldogs to cut the lead to 4-2 with 9:33 left.

Saline would go on the powerplay and Woodrel would score his second of the night to give the Hornet a 5-2 lead with 7:35 left, but just 20 seconds later Chelsea would make it 5-3 when Drew Sherwood found the twine.

It would stay that way until the final minute when Chelsea pulled the goaltender for a 6-on-5 and in a mad scramble out front Devin McIntyre tipped the puck into net to cut the lead to 5-4 with 43.7 left.

The Bulldogs would get one last good shot on net that was ripped wide and the Hornets held on for the 5-4 win.

Cameron Merrick, Iadipaolo, and Aidan Rumohreach had one assist, while Updike had two for Saline.

The Hornets improved to 8-2 overall on the season. They will return to action January 7 when they host Bedford.