Moment: Heritage Soars to 1st Final

April 9, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Saginaw Heritage has ascended to the ranks of the state’s high school hockey elite these last few seasons. And it’s fair to say Matte Cole scored one of the defining goals of that rise.

Cole actually tallied two goals during the Hawks’ 3-2 overtime win over Traverse City West in a Division 1 Semifinal on March 9, 2018. The second came 59 seconds into overtime to secure the victory, which sent Heritage to its first MHSAA Final in hockey.

"If you would have told us at the beginning of the year that we would be in the championship game I don't think that realistically … many people outside of our locker room would have given us that opportunity," Heritage coach J.J. Bamberger said that day. "But everyone in the locker room believed in it. We have kids who have won championships at younger levels and they showed today they're winners and they refused to lose."

Click for game coverage from the Saginaw News – Saginaw Heritage tops Traverse City West in OT, advances to first state championship game – and watch the game winner below with coverage from the NFHS Network.

Be the Referee: Ice Hockey Delay of Game

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

February 11, 2025

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen

During a high school ice hockey game, a player is assessed a minor penalty for tripping. The penalized team successfully clears the puck during the ensuing power play. A teammate of the penalized player accidentally shoots the puck directly out of play from their defensive zone. 

Is this a delay of game penalty? If so, does the team go down two players?

A delay of game penalty for shooting the puck directly out of play in the defensive zone will only be assessed if the action is deliberate. If it is deemed accidental, no additional penalty is called. 

In this situation, the referee determines that the puck was shot out of play accidentally. The team does not receive a delay of game penalty and remains at four skaters.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call"
- Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18:
 Libero - Listen
Sept. 10:
 Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen