Jaxon Stone netted a three-goal hat trick, leading the Reeths-Puffer hockey team to an exciting come-from-behind 4-2 victory over Grand Rapids Northview on Friday night.
The victory wrapped up an amazing regular season for the Rockets, who started with two straight losses, ended with nine wins in their last 10 games, and finished with a 19-5-1 overall record.
The Rockets remain in contention for the O-K Conference Fischer Division championship. They are currently tied with Hudsonville for first place, but the Eagles have a game remaining on Saturday against Caledonia, and a win or tie would give them the title.
Northview opened the scoring in the first period on Friday, then Stone stole the puck and netted a breakaway, shorthanded goal, leaving the score tied 1-1 headed into the second.
R-P's Jaxon Stone (13), who scored three goals in the win.
Northview took a 2-1 lead early in the second period, then R-P tied the score with a power play goal by Croix Klint, who deflected a shot from Connor Stawski into the net.
Less than a minute later Stone scored again, putting Reeths-Puffer up 3-2 headed into the third period.
Stone capped off the scoring in the final period with his third goal of the night.
Tyler Tindall and Avery Freeland both had a pair of assists for Reeths-Puffer. R-P goalie Isaiah Van Noord collected the victory, stopping 36 of 38 shots.
R-P goalie Isaiah Van Noord, who stopped 36 of 38 shots in the victory.
"We had a great regular season with all sorts of exciting accomplishments,” said R-P Coach Ryan Martin, whose team made a huge improvement from last year’s 6-18-1 record. “We are certainly proud and excited about the regular season. We will take the weekend to rest and heal some bumps and bruises before turning our attention to the playoffs.”
Regardless of how the final conference standings pan out this weekend, the Rockets will head into Division 1 regionals next Friday with a game against Traverse City West at 8 p.m. at Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals against the winner of the Forest Hills Central-Rockford game.
