Wildcats Sink Pinckney Pirates 8 - 5
Rousseau scores 4 goals; Timar earns 5 points
1/17/06 by Scott Olson
 
The Pinckney Pirates are said to be a solid KVC team this season - a team to be reckoned with. The Novi Wildcats were well rested after a weekend off and no school on Monday. It added up to be a classic ice battle between two teams that have become rivals. The action was fast and furious at the Novi Ice Arena Monday evening. This was a game that those in attendance were glad they didn't miss.

After a quick start, and then another burst of energy, Pinckney collapsed while Novi kept going strong. It was perhaps Novi's best game of the season to date, as the Pirates' captain found himself locked up in the penalty box several times, with Novi scoring on five different power plays.

The Pirates fired their cannons early in the first period, scoring two goals off face-offs in the first 22 seconds of the game. But that was as good as it got for the guys from Pinckney, as Novi regrouped quickly and returned fire to move ahead in the first period. Steve Rousseau started things off for Novi with a solid goal off a Ryan Timar pass with an assist from Ryan Fox two minutes into the period. Then Shamus Finerty and Greg Morisette scored, with assists from Fox and Timar to make it 3 - 2 Novi after one period.

Pinckney got a goal a couple minutes into the second period before Rousseau scored again. Pinckney scored twice more to briefly move ahead until Rousseau evened things up again, and Timar scored to give Novi the lead again: 6 - 5 Novi after two periods.

The third period was all Novi, as Wildcat go-to guy Tom Ciaverilla came out strong with a goal and an assist to yet another Rousseau goal to make it 8 - 5 Novi in the end.

Kevin Michalzcuk was in net for the Wildcats, and played a great game. He was knocked down hard twice, with the trainer helping him out at one point. But he made it through the game, and looked tougher each time the Pirates knocked him over. He looked unbeatable by end of the third period, as Pinckney tried over and over to even the score.

Greg Morisette also played a great game, several times taking the puck away from Pinckney on scoring opportunities.

Novi is home again Wednesday when they take on the Howell Highlanders at the Novi Ice Arena. Face-off time is 6:00 p.m. Then it's a road week as the Cats head to Hartland next Monday and East Grand Rapids the following weekend.