By Greg Gielczyk
LocalSportsJournal.com

VICTORY TWP. — Shorthanded, and still without their regular goalie, the Lakeshore Badgers co-op ice hockey team eventually wore down and wound up on the short end of an 11-3 score against the New Boston United team Saturday at the West Shore Community Ice Arena.

The non-conference game was stopped at the 6:33 mark of the third period because of the eight-goal lead rule, and left the Badgers winless at 0-4 for the season.

It came on the heels of an 8-3 loss at East Kentwood just 24 hours earlier, and the Badgers became visibly tired as Saturday’s game wore on.

After trailing for the first time this season at the beginning of the game, 1-0, the Badgers recovered and answered with the equalizer, which was scored by Mason County Central junior River Claveau on an assist from Mason County Central senior Austin Quillan with 11:39 left in the first period.

But, the momentum didn’t last as the United team responded with two more goals before the first period ended to go into the intermission with a 3-1 lead.

It was pretty much downhill for the Badgers after that, as they were held scoreless until late in the third and final period while New Boston built an 8-1 lead.

“Sometimes you have a bad game,” Lakeshore head coach Parker Rey said. “It happens. That’s hockey. We have a lot of injuries, but we just have to keep playing hockey.

“New Boston has kids that can shoot the puck pretty well, and it was tough playing with a fill-in goalie. But, we just have to keep plugging away.”

Mason County Eastern sophomore Brandon Austin did have a good opportunity in the second period when he raced down the ice on a breakaway, but the New Boston defense recovered in time to make him turn away before he could get the shot on frame.

The Badgers did snap their scoreless streak three minutes into the third period when Mason County Central freshman Lukas Schade slapped a bullet that went over the goalie’s shoulder and just under the crossbar at the 13:36 mark with Cleveau on the assist.

New Boston made it 9-2 just a little later, but the Badgers again bounced back smartly, Cleveau getting in on the act with a goal after a pass from Mason County Central sophomore Trevor Muralt.

“I like how we responded after going down by one, and scored the tying goal,” Rey said. “To be honest, for the first three games of the season to play as well as we did, I’m very happy.

“We were due to drop an egg. So be it. It happens. We’re going to have a great week of practice and be back at it.”

The Badgers are back at it, as Rey said, on Friday when they visit Cadillac for a non-league game with the Vikings at 5 p.m. before traveling to Grand Rapids for a rematch with Kentwood on Saturday.