Saline Hockey holds Chelsea in the SEC Showdown

The Saline hockey team got a huge home win Thursday night as the Hornets held off Chelsea in an SEC battle between the top two teams in the SEC’s Red and White divisions.

The teams entered the competition ranked above their respective divisions and are both state placers.

It was the Hornets who came out quick with Aidan Granica finding the back of the net unassisted in the first period.

It would stay that way until the top of the second when Bryce Ronewicz knocked one home to make it 2-0 Saline with 14:30 left in the second.

Saline made it 3-0 when Andrew Updike tipped the puck past a Chelsea defender to put the Hornets up two. Updike sent a pass that Blake Woodrel ripped home to extend the Hornets’ lead.

Mateo Iadipaolo then sent one into the net to push the Hornets up 4-0, assisted by Woodrel, at 10:48.

Chelsea got one back when Jack Roberts headed home Brandan Davila’s pass to cut the lead to 4-1 and go into the fourth.

The Bulldogs had a short 5-3 lead early in the third period, but couldn’t finish, keeping it 4-1 to the Hornets.

Keegan Montgomery broke the Bulldogs’ power play to cut the lead to 4-2 with 9:33 left.

Saline would go on the power play and Woodrel would score his second of the night to give the Hornet a 5-2 lead with 7:35 left, but just 20 seconds later Chelsea would make it 5-3 when Drew Sherwood found the wire.

It stayed that way until the final minute, when Chelsea pulled a goaltender for a 6-5 game and in a mad rush, Devin McIntyre tipped the puck into the net to cut the lead to 5-4 after 43.7.

The Bulldogs got one last good shot into the wide torn net and the Hornets held on for a 5-4 win.

Cameron Merrick, Iadipaolo and Aidan Rumohreach had one assist, while Updike had two for Saline.

The Hornets improved to 8-2 on the season. They return to action on January 7 when they host Bedford.