Squirt Gray Sabres win 5-1, Burke's shutout streak ends

The Squirt Gray Sabres and the Red Wings met on March 4 in a preview of their playoff game. The Gray Sabres won 5-1.

Because these teams would see each other as playoff opponents in two weeks, both coaches allowed players to swap roles. Having played goal for the Red Wings most of the year, Teresa Meosky skated on a forward line. Peter Hillery took her place between the pipes and made a case for another start. He stood on his head as the Gray Sabres came at him in waves.

Finally, after around eight minutes of end-to-end action, a tic-tac-toe passing play from Katelyn Koester to Mark Giangreco to Angelo Derossi found the back of the net.

The Red Wings battled back with Jamison Garvey, Cole Federiconi, Erin Jozwiak and Ella Frauenhofer shooting darts at the Gray Sabres' Joe Burke in goal. Burke continued his shutout streak to 48 minutes.

In the second period, the Red Wings continued their assault. Lillian Markley, Tristan Dougherty, Christian Baran, Marisa Notaro, Connor Lalime, Nathan D'Angelo and Motrowski peppered Burke but could not break his streak.

The Gray Sabres counterpunched with Jack Cooper starting the rush in his own end and chipping it off the boards to Brian Kowalski. Kowalski noticed a streaking Emma Hubert and fed her a perfect pass, which she redirected under Hillery's pads for the second goal.

The Gray Sabres stretched their lead to three when Benjamin Lackner, dropping back to defense instead of playing wing, found Kowalski along the high boards. Kowalski skated into the Red Wings' zone and slid the puck to Austin Maciok. Maciok, playing center instead of defense, went upstairs to beat Hillery. Burke's streak ended at 65 minutes when Adam Herr beat Burke with an assist from Austin Hyer.

It looked like that would be the final score until Gabe Jewula and Peter Gossels cycled the puck to Giangreco, who beat Hillery to the stick side.

With less than 30 seconds in the game, Gossels and Maciok found Giangreco diving in from his point to push the puck past a surprised Hillery.

Connor Koester played a great game at forward, as did Joe Arias and J. B. Beck.