Published: April 03, 2008 08:47 pm         

Hockey team finishes regular season with wins over McKinney, Garland

PLANO – Rockwall (12-9-2) finished the regular season with back to back wins over McKinney (5-18-1) on March 25 and Garland (11-10-2), March 27 reversing a 5 game slide. The wins provide Rockwall with much needed momentum going into the preliminary round of the Silver League playoffs against Plano West Tuesday April 1st at the Dr. Pepper Star Center in Farmers Branch.

Against McKinney, the Rockwall special teams were the stars with two short handed goals and one on a power play in the 4-2 decision.

Early in the game, McKinney looked stronger than their record. They won the initial face off and caught Rockwall slow to respond jumping on the score board first. Rockwall answered later in the frame when Josh Kinnear forced a turn over and passed to Brandon Bambico who set up Chris Thirion for a netter.

McKinney responded winning the next face off and beat Rockwall into the zone for the go ahead goal.

The Rockwall penalty kill line answered as time in the period was waning when Chase Kimberling forced a turnover passing to Sam White who set up Morgan Cook for the short handed goal to knot the score.

The second and early third periods were defensive struggles for both teams. Rockwall goalie Landon Cain held McKinney at bay turning in fine performance with 27 saves on 29 shots.

Midway thru the final frame, Chris Thirion stole the puck in the neutral zone and powered past the defense for a solo short handed goal and the lead. Cook added an insurance goal off a pass from Chase Kimberling on a power play to seal the win.

Against Garland, Rockwall again struggled early as slow puck transitions allowed the Stampede to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Rockwall finally got the offense rolling early in the middle period, when Morgan Cook buried a short wrister in the net off of a pass from Matt Kinnear. Less than a minute later, Cook took a pass from Jory Tedder and drove left getting the goalie to commit before passing to Thirion on the weak side for an open netter to tie the game.

The Rockwall defense stiffened not allowing Garland to seriously challenge until mid way thru the final period when Garland found a seam in the defense to take the lead again.

But Rockwall responded on the next face off as Thirion won the puck and with Garrett Phillips mounted a 2-on-1 break away with Thirion finishing it off to knot the score.

Less than a minute later, Dustin Roy deflected a hard wrist shot from Preston Roberts in the goal for the lead. Garland mounted several surges in the remaining minutes but the Rockwall defense held firm to secure the win. Goalie David White had an outstanding performance with 25 saves.

“The team played great this week,” Mark Burack, head coach said. “It was a great finish to the regular season and for the seniors.”

Rockwall will next face Plano West April 1st at the Dr. Pepper Star Center in Farmers Branch in the preliminary round of the Silver League playoffs.