GRAND RAPIDS – The Reeths-Puffer and Sparta hockey teams developed an intense rivalry last season when they battled for conference and regional titles.
That continued on Friday night when the two good teams clashed again in an early season matchup at Griff's Icehouse in Grand Rapids.
The game lived up to its billing, with the Rockets and Spartans playing to a tie in regulation before Sparta stole the win with a goal just 1:48 into the overtime period.
Reeths-Puffer is now 1-1 on the season.
“It was like a playoff game out there,” said Reeths-Puffer head coach Dustin Langlois, whose team lost a conference title to Sparta last season, but got even in regionals.. “A lot of hitting and chippiness. These guys know each other and played together growing up, so it’s always fun to see them grind it out.”
R-P's Bucky Aney (12) battles for the puck behind the net. Photo/Tyler Lirones
There was a lot of offense, with plenty of scoring chances, in the tight contest, with Reeths-Puffer leading 34-31 in shots on goal.
But R-P’s best opportunities were squandered in the third period.
The Rockets trailed 3-2 to start the period, and opened with a 5-on-3 power play for the first 1:53, but failed to get a shot on goal.
Later in the period, with the score tied 3-3, the Rockets had a five-minute power play after a major penalty on Sparta, but were again unable to capitalize.
R-P's Connor Anderson (3) tries to get past an opponent. Photo/Tyler Lirones
“We were just gripping our sticks too much,” Langlois said. “We were hoping to hurry up and tie it, and then get ahead. I think we kind of got ahead of ourselves at that point. We’ve worked a lot on it, and it will come with time. Not disappointed in it.”
Just like in their season opener on Tuesday, when the Rockets trailed for most of the game before winning , R-P spent much of Friday night battling from behind.
Only this time it couldn’t get over the hump.
Sparta took a 1-0 lead just 1:28 into the game when Trevor Serba found the back of the net.
R-P's Ayden Hartzell (16) skates the puck into the Sparta zone. Photo/Tyler Lirones
The Spartans went up 2-0 at the 6:12 mark when Caden Gleason scored a goal.
The Rockets got on the board with a goal by Eli Cuti (with assists from Hunter Fritz and Hayden Taylor) at 7:59 to make the score 2-1 at the end of the first period.
R-P’s Tyler Tindall scored his fourth goal of the season at 11:13 of the second period to tie the score at 2-2. Cuti and Connor Anderson assisted.
Sparta regained the lead with just 1:10 remaining in the period when Gleason scored his second goal of the game.
R-P's Tyler Tindall (7) in the faceoff circle. Photo/Tyler Lirones
The Rockets failed to capitalize on their 5-on-3 power play to start the third, but still managed to tie the score when Bucky Aney popped in a rebound just 2:18 into the period..
Reeths-Puffer outshot Sparta 33-28 in regulation, with a 9-2 advantage of the final 10 minutes, but could not pull ahead.
Sparta ended the game when Gleason scored his third goal just 1:48 into OT.
The loss spoiled a brilliant performance by R-P goalie Hick VanDyke, who made 27 saves, including several on Sparta breakaway opportunities.
R-P's Eli Cuti (17) works the puck through traffic. Photo/Tyler Lirones
“Huck is unreal,” Langlois said about his goalie. “He stands on his head day-in and day-out. We know we can rely on him, and we never doubt him. He comes up big for us all the time.”
The Rockets will hit the ice again with a road game against East Kentwood on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Langlois is hoping his team learned lessons about itself on Friday that will pay off for the rest of the season.
“It’s only game two of the year and we knew who we were going against,” he said. “They’re a hard, gritty team. We had to rely on some of our newer guys and they stepped up.
"It’s a good team to face early in the season. We’re happy with where we’re at. You’re going to lose some, but we can take a lot of positives from this.”