TRENTON — A pair of local high school ice hockey teams with matching win streaks shared the rink for a Metro League crossover matchup when Gibraltar Carlson battled Riverview-Cabrini United at the Kennedy Recreation Center on Friday night.
It was a special ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’ night as both teams donned pink-themed uniforms to further aid in the cause.Carlson came in fresh off a thrilling 4-3 victory over Metro East Division foe and Division 3 No. 7-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett earlier in the week. Friday meanwhile was the first game in over a week for Riverview, who had scored a combined 25 goals during their current three-game win streak.
Guided by a fast start, the Marauders from Carlson continued their own late-season push as they cruised to a 5-1 win over RCU.
The result gives Carlson their fourth straight win overall, matching their longest such streak of the season from one they did back in early December. This recent win streak comes after dropped a season-worst seven straight games.
Unlike their most recent outing vs Liggett on Feb 4, the Marauders on Friday set the tone early with a big three-goal first period, including two in the span of 50 seconds. The third of those goals to begin the game came on the power play with 32 seconds to go before the intermission.
Midway through the second period, Riverview-Cabrini ended a bid for what would have been Carlson’s first shutout win since Jan 2 when senior Noah Worthy potted his seventh of the season. Carlson, though, was able to equalize that later in the frame with their second special teams score of the night, this one coming short-handed with 17 seconds to go.
The Marauders finished up the night’s scoring with one more in the third period. Each of the last three goals scored by the victors on Friday came courtesy of Caden Jones.
The big hero in their win over Liggett, Jones scored the game-winning goal with just two seconds to go in regulation, helping Carlson complete a wild comeback after trailing 3-0 earlier in the contest. The late-season surge by the Marauders also applies individually to Jones, who has doubled his season goal output (8) over the last two games alone.
Carlson also got single goals each from Jagger Whitten and Nathan Kastl. The latter was also one of six different Marauders to pick up at least one assist. A trio of Ben Peterson, Brayden Beaudette, and Chase Moore combined for seven assists on the night.
The goal by Worthy for RCU was assisted by both Maverick Markham and Trevor Kurkowski. The most prolific scoring duo in the local area this winter, the senior forwards have now combined for 200 points through the team’s 23 games played.
Carlson senior goaltender finished with 17 saves. On the other side, the Marauders peppered Riverview-Cabrini senior netminder Evan Schwartz with 37 shots on goal, a combined 29 of which came in the first and third periods.
UP NEXT
Carlson (13-11-1) has just two games left in its regular season before the state playoffs, which officially get underway later this month on Feb 16.
The Marauders will stay home at Kennedy for both final regular season tune-ups as well. It starts with hosting non-conference foe Livonia United on Feb 10 before welcoming in Metro East rival Jackson Lumen Christi on Feb 13.
All three final regular season games for Riverview-Cabrini (11-12) will also take place at the friendly confines of Kennedy.
After hosting non-league foes Bishop Foley United and the North Oakland Eagles on Feb 7 and 9, respectively, RCU will conclude its winter campaign by hosting Metro West foe Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard on Feb 12.
Photo gallery of Gibraltar Carlson vs Riverview-Cabrini United in a Metro League ice hockey battle
