Michigan Warriors back in playoff race.
/ NBC25
FLINT -- The Warriors entered play on Friday night in last place in the North division, despite picking up points in seven of their past eight games. They looked to move back into the playoff race with a win over the Soo Eagles. A team that had beaten the Warriors in their previous two visits to Perani Arena. Dillon Kelley got the start Friday night as the Warriors looked to win back to back games for the first time this season.
The Warriors got the scoring started at 5:50 of the first when A.J Marcinek scored his 5th goal of the season. He received a beautiful through the middle of the ice from Luke Fiegl and beat Eagles goalie Tyler Marble on a deke. The Soo would tie the game later in the first. Nathan Harris scored as the Warriors failed to clear their own zone. Harris notched his 3rd goal of the season at 16:58. The Soo would take the lead only 25 seconds later on a goal from Kyle Froese. He let a weak shot go from the point that had eyes and went through the pads of Dillon Kelley. The Soo took a 2-1 lead into the locker room despite being out shot, 18-10.
In the second, Warriors newcomer T.J Stuntz tied it at two at the 4:17 mark. Tyler Marble had lost his goalstick and Corey Schueneman found Stuntz on the far side of the ice. Stuntz ripped a one-timer past the helpless goaltender for his first goal as a Warrior. Corey Schueneman would give the Warriors the lead for good at the 6:03 mark. He fired a quick shot from a severe angle on the left-wing boards that snuck in on the short-side of Marble.
The Warriors added goals in the third from Darren McCormick and Martin Gruse to cement a 5-2 victory at Perani Arena. Dillon Kelley made 26 saves to notch his third win of the season.
On Saturday, the Warriors welcomed their I-69 rival, the Port Huron Fighting Falcons. The Falcons were coming off a shootout loss the night before at McMorran Arena and tried to pick up a win with their starting goaltender, Max Milosek (Lapeer, MI) on the bench.
After a very even first 19 minutes of play in the first, the Warriors broke through on the power play for only the sixth time this season. Darren McCormick scored his 5th of the season on a goal-mouth scramble at 19:18 of the period. The Warriors took a 1-0 lead after one and out shot Port Huron, 18-14.
You can tell a team is beginning to turn it around, when the bounces start going your way. That best describes Brad Pizzey's first goal of the season at 8:17 of the second. Brad through the puck toward the net and saw it bank off a Falcons defenseman and go in. Marty Gruse capped off his second straight multi-point game with a goal at 17:20 to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead after two.
Trevor Gorsuch stood tall in the nets in the third as he, and the Warriors notched their first shutout of the season. Gorsuch made 31 saves in the 3-0 victory. The win stretched the Warriors win streak to a season long, three games and pulled them within four points of seventh-placed, Springfield.
The Warriors play a home-and-home series with Port Huron this weekend with Friday's game being held at McMorran Arena and Saturday's tilt at Perani Arena.
