NORTON SHORES – To score a hat trick in a hockey game is a special feat.
To score a hat trick in three consecutive hockey games is an incredibly special feat.
Heading into Friday night’s matchup against the Grand Haven Buccaneers, Mona Shores junior Trent Benedict had recorded a hat trick in both games the Sailors had played this season.
He made it three hat tricks in three games against the Bucs, and the Sailors won 9-1 at Lakeshore Ice Centre.
Mona Shores improved to 3-0 on the season while Grand Haven fell to 1-1.
[1]“I just try to mentally prepare before the game, get a nice lunch in,” Benedict said after the game. “The goals are nice, but I am happy to get the win.”
Mona Shores Coach Chris Benedict said his son is not just focused on goals, even though he’s been scoring a ton of them lately.
“He cares all the way through,” the coach said. “Whether it’s a big goal or a good defensive play, he helps us win in a variety of ways.”
Another key to the Sailors’ victory was special teams play. Their penalty kill unit was a perfect 8-for-8, and Mona Shores scored two shorthanded goals. The Sailors’ power play unit added a goal as well.
“We have talented players who have great hockey sense,” Coach Benedict said about his team’s excellent penalty-killing, which has only been necessary because the Sailors have been getting too many penalties. “Unfortunately, we have had a lot of in-game practice this year, but there isn’t a guy on this team who wouldn’t sacrifice his body to block a shot, or do whatever we have to do to keep the puck out of our net.”
Mona Shores goalie Carter Dethloff also had a strong game. He gave up the opening goal of the contest, but then made key saves to allow the offense to do its job.
“After the first goal went in my confidence was shaken,” Dethloff said. “After the first shot hit me, I regained my confidence and I was able to go out there and stop the puck.”
[2]“Carter is a rock,” Coach Benedict added. “They had some opportunities that could have swayed the momentum, but Carter was able to make those saves until we figured it out.”
The Buccaneers opened the scoring at the 3:23 mark of the first period. Dolan Smith raced the puck up the ice on a 2-on-1 odd man rush, then slid the puck across the ice, where Tristen Goss unleashed a one-timer that found its way into the net.
The Sailors wasted very little time pulling even. While on the penalty kill, Ty Langlois chased down a loose puck in the neutral zone and found himself alone with the Grand Haven goalie.
He angled across the slot from the right wing, pulled the puck between his legs and shot it over the goalie’s glove for a beautiful highlight goal.
[3]Benedict untied the game at the 9:20 mark of the first period with his first goal of the night. Zach Liebrandt added a goal with five seconds left in the period, and the Sailors skated off with a 3-1 lead.
The Sailors filled the net six more times in the game. The final goal, invoking the eight-goal mercy rule, came off the stick of Jake Nanna at the 14:36 mark of the third period.
Leibrandt and Nanna each finished the game with two goals and an assist. Langlois recorded a goal and two assists while Chase Knowlton scored his first varsity goal.
Nico Taylor recorded a pair of assists, while Peña, Landon Taylor and Kolin Jackson each had one assist.
Grand Haven goalie Aidan Steele made 23 saves, while Dethloff recorded 18 stops in the victory.
The Sailors outshot the Bucs 32-19.