Lakeland sweeps season series, retains Barbers' Cup

Rivals Huron Valley Lakeland and Huron Valley Milford met once again on the ice at Lakeland Ice Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 16, with the Eagles coming out on top, 6-2, to sweep the season series and hold onto the Barbers’ Cup.

“We always want to try to set a tone. We’re trying to establish setting the bar early,” said Lakeland Head Coach Tim Ronayne. “That line of (Jordan) Blanzy, (Evan) Ronayne and (Kyle) Zunich got us going.”

The Eagles (10-10-3) scored three goals in the first period, including two on the power play, to take a 3-0 lead after the first intermission.

Ronayne then scored for Lakeland 43 seconds into the second period off assists from Blanzy and Zunich.

Michael Pobur then scored for Milford (8-15-1) on the power play off an assist from Austin Wilson to put the Mavericks on the board.

James Unsworth then scored for Lakeland to put his team up 5-1 at the second intermission.

After Trevor Tierney scored for Milford off assists from David Thornton and Evan Wilson, Nick Kobak scored Lakeland’s sixth goal off a Blanzy rebound.

Blanzy finished with a goal and four assists, while Ronayne had two goals and an assist and Zunich had a goal and three assists.

Mitch Leist made 20 saves in goal for Lakeland, while Evan DeMecurio made 21 saves for Milford.

The Eagles then played Plymouth in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) Day of Champions event at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Canton on Saturday, Feb. 19, and fell to the Wildcats, 4-3.

Kevin Lechner scored for Lakeland just 14 seconds into the game, before Mitch Claggett tied the game for Plymouth in the first period.

Blanzy then scored on a power play in the second period, before Sean Smiatacz tied the game for Plymouth in the second period.

The Wildcats finally took the lead in the third period on a redirection by Kevin Matusiak.

Kyle Zunich tied the game for Lakeland with just over 9 minutes left in the period. Matusiak then scored his second goal 22 seconds later.

Plymouth outshot Lakeland 39-10. Trevor Kalinowski made 35 saves in net for the Eagles, who will play at the state regional tournament at the Hartland Sports Center, along with Walled

Lake Northern, Walled Lake Central and host Hartland, beginning on Monday, Feb. 28.

Meanwhile, Milford will play in the state regional at Lakeland Ice Arena, along with Waterford Kettering, Waterford Mott and Oxford.