MUSKEGON, Mich. — It was a big OK Fischer showdown on Friday night at Lakeshore Ice Center as Hudsonville looked to pull even with Mona Shores in the standings going into Saturday's finale. The Eagles would take a 2-1 lead going into the first intermission with goals from Ryan Blackburn and Brendan Schaltz.
The score would stand until the third period, when the Sailors tied the game with a slapshot from Jacob Leibrandt midway through the period. Just over two minutes later, the Sailors scored again as sophomore Ty Langlois found a rebound in front to give them the 3-2 lead.
In the final minutes, goaltender TJ Habetler made some impressive saves to keep the Sailors in front, prevailing 3-2 the final.
"That's the first conference championship in ten years, way to go sailors, way to go," head coach Chris Benedict said after the game to a pumped up locker room.
The Sailors hockey program was a powerhouse in the 2000s but were held without a conference title for a decade, until Friday night.
"It's nice for these guys to get the recognition back," Benedict added, "we're not done, this is the first step, season one is over, we're onto season two next Saturday."
For Langlois, he grew up watching the Sailors hockey program in the playoffs and making runs at state championships.
"It's always been a dream of mine to come and play here," Langlois said after the game, "I finally got that, but to win a conference title, it's something I never would have thought I experienced. It was unreal, I saw tears in people's eyes, everyone was tearing up and the seniors were, it was a great time for all of us to come back and win that."
