An inspired Lakeland High School hockey team rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period to hand Hartland a heartbreaking loss that ends its season.
With just a minute and a half left to play, Lakeland's Ryan Biondo ripped off a wrist-shot from the boards that was tipped and bounced off the mask of Hartland goalie Aaron Zeddell into the net.
“It was the best feeling in the world,” Biondo said of the goal.
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Hartland coach Howard Copeland said that's something Zeddell stops nine times out of 10.
“He just lost track of it," Copeland said. "They got a good screen. They basically flipped it in the net. You got to give this all to them. They never quit. They did what they had to do to win.”
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Lakeland, now 13-10-3, moves on in the state tournament and will play Waterford Mott 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hartland Sports Center. Lakeland was defeated by Hartland in the same game last season in double overtime.
Lakeland players credited a rousing speech by captain Jordan Blanzy in between the second and third periods. After a lackluster first two periods, Blanzy and fellow seniors asked head coach Tim Ronayne if his words could to the team could be short.
“He (Ronayne) left the room and left it to the players. We had a moment,” Blazny said. "We just sat back and realized this could be our last game. We got the team fired up. I told them we got 15 minutes to prove yourself. If you don’t come out flying, this is it.”
The visiting Eagles took to the ice and the words to heart. They ripped off five shots in the first 30 seconds before Blazny walked the talk and put the puck behind Zeddell in the midst of a pile-up in front of the net.
“This feels amazing. We came out flying and wouldn’t be beat,” Blanzy said. "I just crashed the net and went hard. It was the will to put the puck in the net.”
Blanzy again scored with 8:06 remaining and the large Lakeland contingent of fans in attendance at the Hartland Sports Arena erupted. The goal came following a turnover in the Hartland defensive zone, something that has more than plagued the home Eagles the later part of the season.
Blanzy had two chances of his own to pull of a hat trick in the third. He was blanked with 12:55 remaining on a breakaway chance and again with 4:00 left on a penalty shot. (See video with this story to watch the penalty shot).
“I thought I had just lost us the game,” Blanzy added. “Fortunately, we were able to score.”
Following the go ahead goal, Hartland pulled Zeddell in hopes of being able to tie the game. They got three shots on net, however, Lakeland cleared the puck twice inside the 30 second mark.
“The pressure affected us, trying to hold that lead for 10 minutes of the period,” Copeland added. “We came out hard at the end and just couldn’t get it through the pads. We still had chances to win it but couldn’t get it done.”
Hartland senior captain Zak Bodziak, who leads the team in goals, had the best chance with time winding down as he deked a Lakeland defender and fired a wrister from eight feet out that was stopped.
Bodziak was instrumental in helping Hartland — which finishes the season 13-12-1 — grab the early lead. He assisted Chad Washburn in the opening period with a power play goal.
In the second period, Brandon Fry was able to crash the net after a shot by co-captain Nick Manley and put the puck behind Lakeland goalie Mitch Leist giving Hartland a 2-0 lead.
Leist, who helped keep his team in their last win over Walled Lake Central, finished with 26 saves.
“I’m kinda speechless. We just didn’t get it done,” Bodziak said. “We had a tough time all season long. We could have done a lot better. It’s not fun being kicked out by the underdog.”
