Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Shane McKenna and the De La Salle hockey team closed out the 2009-10 season with a 22-6-1 overall record, falling to Midland 6-5 in overtime in the D-2 semifinals.

Overtime loss in state semifinal brings end to one era, begins another for DLS hockey

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

PLYMOUTH — The 2010 state hockey playoffs officially began March 1.

But for the Warren De La Salle squad, the journey to this game began some two years ago, when a team of mostly sophomores threw everything and more at the perennial power of Trenton High in the Division 2 quarterfinals.

The 3-2 loss on that March 4, 2008, night was the first step toward something very special.

On March 10, 2009, a 2-0 loss in the same round at the same rink and to the same team was the next step in a journey that would include some of the best hockey and most successful teams to date.

The Pilots fought their way through another grueling playoff schedule this winter — surviving the quarterfinal round (a 5-2 victory over Novi High) — and arrived in the Division 2 semifinals March 11. This time their opponent was Midland High.

And though the Pilots were denied a shot at playing for the title following a 6-5 overtime loss, the journey this group of 14 seniors, in particular, shared is something few prep athletes get to experience.

“We gave it everything we had,” coach Dan Barry explained when asked what he said to his team after the game. “The guys gave it their all. There’s not much more I can ask of them.”

“These were the greatest athletes I’ve ever coached,” he said. “All they did was work … for me and for this program. They did everything that was asked of them without one question as to why.

“I’m truly going to miss this group of guys. This was a special team.”

Then they came roaring back.

They scored two goals in the final four minutes of the second period, and then with 7:06 remaining in the third, senior defenseman Bryan Pike gave the De La Salle faithful a reason to blow the roof off the building, tying the game at 5-5 and forcing overtime.

“These guys never quit,” Barry said. “They keep working; they keep fighting.”
In the end, it would be Midland’s Kenny Babinski capping a five-goal night with the game winner.

 “It just wasn’t meant to be tonight. We didn’t get the breaks we needed. We didn’t get the bounces to go our way.”

Barry may have been dejected, but his voice was calm and cool, and a smile even showed up once or twice. This was a coach of a 22-win hockey team who earlier this year said anything shy of a state championship would be a disappointment.

Two wins shy of said title, he stood by his statement.

“It’s (disappointing) because of the group and talent we had. We felt this was our year,” Barry added, then paused and smiled again.

 “At the same time, you have to look at what we accomplished and what these guys did. Our program had never gotten past the quarterfinals until now. We won 22 games playing an incredibly difficult schedule, and three of our six losses were to the top-ranked team (Novi Detroit Catholic Central) in the entire state. There is still an awful lot to proud of.”

“They got a taste of what this is all about,” Barry said. “We’ll use this game and these emotions to fuel us again. We expect to be back here very soon.”

Another step forward.

You can reach Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038.