By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

It’s a sports cliché that probably dates back to the first championship ever contested, but the St. Clair Shores Unified hockey team proved it true Feb. 24: Defense win championships.

The Lakers brought home the 2009-10 Macomb Area Conference Red Division title with a 3-0 win against Macomb Dakota at Mount Clemens Ice Arena to unseat the defending back-to-back champion Cougars.

“It was a real exciting game,” Lakers coach Frank DiCristofaro said. “It was a classic high school hockey game between two somewhat similar teams. They maybe have a little more flash and we’re more blue collar, but it was a very good game.”

The shutout from junior goalie Bobby Fredal was their third of the season and highlighted a campaign in which the Lakers had only allowed nine goals in their first nine league games.

“My defense was stellar last night,” DiCristofaro said. “For me to have the resources of my brother (assistant coach Russ DiCristofaro), who played some men’s senior league and won a national title, is great. He works a lot with my defense and goalies with Doc (Bryan) Baetens, and it’s coming to fruition.”

The win against Dakota improved Shores to 17-4-2 overall, 8-0-1 in the Red with one more league game remaining Feb. 27, after press time, against St. Clair High.

The Lakers tied the Cougars 2-2 Jan. 30, but one goal from senior defenseman Joe Kommer and two from senior forward Brian Bollenberg ran their all-time record against Dakota to 3-1-4.

“Our kids battled tooth and nail the whole game,” DiCristofaro said. “Brian Bollenberg had two beautiful goals, and Joe Kommer, the 6-foot-5-inch gorilla, caught a pass at the point, faked a guy out and snapped a great wrist shot.”

The Lakers’ offense was spurred by a last-minute decision to institute their new forechecking strategy.

“I give a lot of credit to my brother,” DiCristofaro said. “People don’t know what a good coach he is. He’s really analytical, and he told me to go with the new forecheck before the game, and it worked like a charm.

“We’ve been working on it for the last month, and it’s really starting to jell with these kids and create a lot of offensive opportunities.”

The Lakers’ showdown with Dakota could prove to be a pivotal primer as they get set for the postseason, which opens at 8 p.m. March 4 at City Ice Arena in Detroit against the winner of the University of Detroit Jesuit/Warren-Sterling United matchup played March 2, after press time.

“Warren-Sterling is a team a lot like us — very tough — and they grind it out,” DiCristofaro said. “U of D is very talented, and they play in an elite league. We’re going to have to be ready to go either way, though.”

Warren-Sterling was 12-9-1 overall, 1-7 in the MAC White, at press time.  University of Detroit was 15-7-1 overall, 5-5-1 in the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League.

Playing in the Lakers’ favor as they get ready for playoff hockey is the strong play they’ve received from their starting goalies — Fredal and sophomore Zach Kosal.

“I’m not going to tip my hand with who we’re going to have in net,” DiCristofaro said of his goaltending situation for the playoffs. “Bobby has been outstanding, and he’s riding the wave.

“He hurt his shoulder taking a shot in warm-ups against Dakota, and I told him not to worry about it,” DiCristofaro added. “I told him about Rich Nagy, who was a goalie for me at Southgate Anderson.”

DiCristofaro said Nagy had been hit hard by a slap shot in warm-ups, but picked himself up and got a shut out to win the state title.

“Bobby Fredal got up and pitched a shut out last night,” DiCristofaro said.

Fredal, Kosal and sophomore Joe Sedrowski combined to post a 1.78 goals against average behind a veteran defensive corps that has helped DiCristofaro enjoy the 2009-10 season, regardless of how the postseason plays out.

“This group has led us, and they battle as a team,” DiCristofaro said of his seniors. “Sometimes they get goofy, like kids can get, but they’ve been a real good group. I couldn’t be happier.”

You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029.