Story in Photos: 2022 Ice Hockey Semifinals

March 11, 2022

PLYMOUTH – Saturday’s MHSAA Hockey Finals are set after a six-game series of Semifinals on Thursday and Friday that featured two overtime games and one team’s advancement to championship day for the first time.

All three Finals are Saturday at Plymouth’s USA Hockey Arena:

Division 2 – 11 a.m. – Hartland vs. Trenton
Division 3 – 3 p.m. – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. Midland Dow
Division 1 – 7 p.m. – Detroit Catholic Central vs. Brighton

Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured plenty of action from the Semifinals – all photos and text below are by John Castine. Click for more as they are posted.

Division 1 hockey

Brighton's Jack Sexsmith (2) celebrates with teammates after he broke up a scoreless tie early in the second period Friday over Grandville, as Brighton went on to score three more times in the period on the way to winning the Division 1 Semifinal, 4-1.

Division 1 hockey

Brighton goalie Levi Pennala prepares to glove a shot on goal from Grandville, one of 18 saves he made in the 4-1 win. 

Division 1 hockey

Detroit Catholic Central's Nolan Galda celebrates his goal during the second period of the Shamrocks’ 6-0 win over Midland in a Division 1 Semifinals on Friday.

Division 1 hockey

DCC's Ryan Wantuck is stopped by Midland goalie Aiden O'Malley.

Division 2 hockey

Ashton Trombley (16) scores the winning goal for Hartland just 14 seconds into overtime as the Eagles defeated Marquette, 3-2, in a Division 2 Semifinal on Thursday.

Division 2 hockey

Hartland goalie Kameron Ragon stops a Marquette shot late in the third period to keep the score 2-2.

Division 2 hockey

Trenton goalie Noah Miklos makes a glove save during the third period of his team’s 4-2 Division 2 Semifinal win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.

Division 2 hockey

Trenton peppered Brother Rice goalie Tommy O'Donnell with 32 shots, including this one that he had to stop with his face mask.

Division 3 hockey

Orchard Lake St. Mary's defenseman Dylan Magdich fires the game-winning shot at the Warren De La Sale Collegiate net at 5:41 of the third overtime of a 2-1 Division 3 Semifinal win Friday.

Division 3 hockey

Eagles teammate Caden Berninger celebrates as the puck reaches the net for the deciding goal.

Midland Dow's assistant captain Billy VanSumeren is all smiles after his second goal gave his team a third-period 4-2 lead Friday that withstood a Calumet last-minute comeback attempt. The 4-3 win put Dow into Saturday’s Division 3 Final against Orchard Lake St. Mary's, which will be its first appearance in a championship game.

Division 3 hockey

A lot of bodies went flying in the Calumet/Dow Semifinal, including Nolan Sanders of Dow who took a hard landing after his short stint in air out front of the crease of Calumet goalie Aksel Loukus.  

TOP PHOTO Trenton's Hayden Oboza celebrates his goal in the third period Thursday that proved the game winner against Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in a Division 2 Semifinal. Oboza would then add an insurance goal into an empty net after the Warriors pulled their goalie in their effort to tie the game during the last minute.

Story in Photos: 2025 Ice Hockey Semifinals

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 7, 2025

PLYMOUTH – The 2024-25 hockey season will conclude Saturday with all three No. 1-ranked teams at the end of the regular season playing to finish the MHSAA Tournament also on top at Plymouth's USA Hockey Arena.

Division 2 will start Saturday’s MHSAA Finals at 11 a.m. with top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic (24-4) facing No. 4 Livonia Stevenson (18-8-2). Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood will play for a repeat in Division 3; the No. 5 Cranes (19-8-1) will face top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary's (22-5-2) at 3 p.m. The Division 1 Final will feature top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central (27-2) playing for a sixth-straight title, vs. No. 3 Howell (24-3-2), with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. to finish the day.

Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured plenty of action from the Semifinals – all photos below are by John Castine.

A Howell player works to maintain possession during Friday's 5-4 Division 1 Semifinal overtime win over Salem with Abel Dubanik (84) applying pressure.

A Howell player works to maintain possession during Friday's 5-4 Division 1 Semifinal overtime win over Salem with Abel Dubanik (84) applying pressure.

Detroit Catholic Central's Nino Suhy (2) rips a shot during his team's 8-0 Division 1 win over Sparta on Friday. He had two goals and an assist.

Detroit Catholic Central's Nino Suhy (2) rips a shot during his team's 8-0 Division 1 win over Sparta on Friday. He had two goals and an assist.

The Shamrocks' Connor Laird (15) moves the puck up ice as Sparta's Jameson Meendering (5) trails. Laird finished with a goal and an assist.

The Shamrocks' Connor Laird (15) moves the puck up ice as Sparta's Jameson Meendering (5) trails. Laird finished with a goal and an assist.

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and Painesdale Jeffers players work to gain possession of the puck during the Cranes' 2-1 win in Division 3 on Friday.

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and Painesdale Jeffers players work to gain possession of the puck during the Cranes' 2-1 win in Division 3 on Friday.

Cranbrook's Nick Timko celebrates one of his two goals with teammates GianLuca DiSalvo (9) and Cam Rocchini (10).

Cranbrook's Nick Timko celebrates one of his two goals with teammates GianLuca DiSalvo (9) and Cam Rocchini (10).

Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Alpena face off during the Eaglets' 9-1 Friday win in Division 3.

Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Alpena face off during the Eaglets' 9-1 Friday win in Division 3.

The Eaglets' Julian Johnston (9) and an Alpena player battle for possession. Johnston finished the victory with two goals and three assists. 

The Eaglets' Julian Johnston (9) and an Alpena player battle for possession. Johnston finished the victory with two goals and three assists. 

Livonia Stevenson goalie Mark Besedin deflects a shot during his team's 6-2 win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Division 2 on Thursday.

Livonia Stevenson goalie Mark Besedin deflects a shot during his team's 6-2 win over Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in Division 2 on Thursday.

Stevenson's Tanner Champoux (6) celebrates during his team's win to reach the Division 2 Final for the first time since 2016.

Stevenson's Tanner Champoux (6) celebrates during his team's win to reach the Division 2 Final for the first time since 2016.

Flint Powers Catholic goalie Hunter Clark walls off a side of the goal as Grandville's Bennett Eisma (21) makes a run toward the crease during the Chargers' 4-3 Division 2 win Thursday.

Flint Powers Catholic goalie Hunter Clark walls off a side of the goal as Grandville's Bennett Eisma (21) makes a run toward the crease during the Chargers' 4-3 Division 2 win Thursday.

Powers' Blake Dawson controls the puck as his team advanced to play for a potential second title over the last three seasons.

Powers' Blake Dawson controls the puck as his team advanced to play for a potential second title over the last three seasons.

TOP PHOTO Howell players and fans celebrate their team's 5-4 overtime win over Salem on Friday at USA Hockey Arena.