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Saline outhustled Pioneer to win its playoff opener at Novi Ice Arena, 4-1, Monday.
Saline (15-9-2) will play Brighton (13-10-2) at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at Novi Ice Area. The winner will play either Northville or Novi in the regional final on Feb. 26.
Antonio Giacalone led the Hornets with a goal and two assists. Jace Woodrel, Bryce Sattler and Johnny Iadipaolo also scored and Wyatt Church had two assists. Goalie Jack Derksen stopped 30 of 31 shots in goal for Saline.
Saline opened the scoring. From along the boards, Giacalone swept a rebound past the Pioneer goalie.
The Hornets were the faster and more physical team throughout the first.
Just when Pioneer seemed to be finding its forecheck in the second period, Saline took a 2-0 lead. Woodrell scored from in front of the net.
In the other net, Dersken played big and took away the Pioneers could shoot at.
In the third, the Pioneers gave Saline a scare, making it 2-1, but Saline answered with goals by Iadipaolo and Sattler.
With Saline up 3-1, the Hornets survived a crazy sequence.
A Pioneer player looked like they were almost surely in on a breakaway. Ethan Phelps came speeding on the backcheck, dove, and somehow knocked the puck off the Pioneer's stick without taking a penalty.
There was still a scrum in front of the net and the puck went to a Pioneer forward who spun and fired a tough shot that looked headed for a corner but Dersken tracked the puck and blockered it away.
A moment later, Saline scored to ice the game.
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