2024 MJRF Charity Hockey Game Recap

During the annual MJR game honoring the life and legacy of former Skyline player Miles Roberts, the Eagles took on the Ann Arbor Pioneer Pioneers Saturday evening. The Eagles were looking to avenge a loss at the hands of the Pioneers earlier in the season, continue their winning ways, and win an important rivalry game on a special evening for the team. There was certainly excitement in the air with a large crowd of spectators cheering on each of the local teams. 

The Eagles dominated play during the first period but found themselves behind 2-0 as Pioneer took advantage of a Eagle penalty and then followed up with a second goal just a few minutes later. As the period began to wind down, Lucas DeYoung followed a strong offensive push by Ezra Min and DeYoung put the Eagles on the board. Cooper Onstend also assisted on the play. It was an important goal to get Skyline back into the game that they had mostly dominated. The first period ended with the score 2-1 Pioneer. 

In the second period, Graham Newton scored to tie the game at two off a pass from Shane Roberts during a two man advantage for the Eagles. Skyline continued to dominate play during the period, but could not get the puck past talented Pioneer goalie, Nick Huston. Near the end of the period, Pioneer regained the lead on a shot from the point and the second period ended with Pioneer ahead 3-2 in a game where they had been outplayed shift after shift. 

In the third, Pioneer scored quickly to take a two goal lead on the Eagles. Despite being the more aggressive team and despite many excellent chances, the two goal lead seemed insurmountable for Skyline at the time. However, the Eagles seemed to sense the magnitude of the evening and continued to take the game right to the Pioneers. Max Stevens cut the lead in half taking a feed from Graham Newton from behind the net after Newton gained the zone on a great individual effort. Aidan Moran then followed Stevens’ goal collecting a rebound from the boards off a shot from Newton to tie the game at four. 

Then, with 1:52 left in the game, Shane Roberts caught an excellent pass from Eric Van Alstine and buried the puck behind Huston to put the Eagles ahead for the first time in the game. Sometimes sports just write their own scripts and seeing Roberts score what might be the most important goal of the season during his senior year on an evening honoring his late brother was something that the Eagles faithful will not soon forget. 

An empty net goal by Ezra Min made the game 6-4 and Pioneer made things interesting with a powerplay goal with under a minute left. But Benny Billings made a couple of fine saves as time ran out and secured the exciting come from behind victory on Benny’s 16th birthday.