ANN ARBOR - Saline's varsity hockey team opened the season by defeating South Lyon Unified, 5-2, Wednesday at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.
Joe Raupp scored two goals, Colton Cundiff had three assists and Griffin Granica turned aside 28 of 30 shots to lead the Hornets.
Also scoring for Saline were Griffin Clark (1G, 1A), Josh Peitz and Cayden Brush. Keegan Bunting and Sasha Lozovyy each had two assists.
South Lyon opened the scoring with 1:59 left in the first, just a few seconds after Saline failed to connect on the power play. Mitch Skamara got behind the Hornet defense and scored.
The Hornets were skating well but also spending a lot of time in the penalty box.
Finally, with 4:58 to play in the second period, the Hornets broke the ice. Sasha Lozovyy won a board battle behind the South Lyon net and centered the puck to Raupp, who chipped it past goalie Evan Smith.
The Hornets took the lead less than three minutes later on the powerplay. Cundiff slid the puck point-to-point to Bunting, who slid the puck to Clark, who fired it past Smith's shoulder. Saline carried the 2-1 lead into the third period.
It took a little more than two minutes for the Hornets to score. Bunting chased a puck into the corner and centered it to the slot for Josh Petz, who backhanded the puck past Smith to make it 3-1.
Moments later Cayden Brush scored one of the prettiest goals you'll see all year, chipping the puck to himself, deking a defenseman and sliding it through the goalie.
Less than a minute later, Raupp continued the onslaught, firing a wrist shot over Smith's shoulder to make it 5-1. South Lyon Unified added a late goal.
The Hornets host Bedford Thursday.
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