Rosales to the Rescue

Junior's overtime net-finder elevates Chiefs to season-opening triumph

BY ED WRIGHT
Nov. 21, 2009, 12:15 a.m.

  AJ Rosales and Riley Hoernschmeyer know how to finish what they start.

  Rosales banged home a rebound shot 54 seconds into overtime Friday night to lift Canton to a 5-4 victory over DeWitt/St. Johns in the season-opener for both squads.

  Hoernschmeyer ignited the game-winning sequence when he rocketed a shot off DeWitt/St. Johns goalie Alex Zuker's pads and into the path of the surging Rosales.

  Rosales and Hoernschmeyer were instrumental in helping the Chiefs build a 4-0 advantage in the game's first 6:40 as they each scored twice in the first-period goal barrage.

  The game was played before a spirited crowd at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Canton.

  First-year Chief coach Jeremy Majszak won't soon forget his head-coaching debut, which initially appeared as if it may end via mercy rule, not in OT.

  "We should have put them away in the first period," said Majszak, who took over the reins of the Chiefs this summer after serving as an assistant coach at Canton the previous three seasons. "We kind of got away from what we were supposed to be doing. We got away from running the forecheck and outworking the other team.

  "Finally, toward the end of the third period, when they saw the game slipping out of their hands,  they stepped up and started playing hockey the way they should be playing all the time."

  Sophomore forward Taylor Baker started the game-winning play when he slid the puck to Hoernschmeyer as he crossed the blue line. Baker also assisted on Hoernschmeyer's second goal.

  "Like numerous times before, the puck was sitting there with an open net," said Majszak, reflecting on the game-winner. "Instead of just haphazardly going after it, AJ got down low and bore down on it. That's the kind of play we needed out of a returning player like AJ. He really stepped up tonight."

  Canton sophomore goalie Ryan Bazner had a gem working over the first 36 minutes as he limited the visitors to a single goal.

  However, DeWitt/St. Johns exploded for three goals over a 5:17 span in the third period to deadlock the contest at 4-4.

  "Overall, I thought Bazner was strong, especially considering he didn't see a lot of playing time last year and he was playing in the home opener in front of all these people," Majszak said. "I'm sure there were a couple Ryan wishes he could have back, but two of the four goals -- the fourth and the second -- he was screened and I don't think he ever saw the puck."

  The Chiefs threatened to win the game late in regulation. With 1:20 left, Phil Baciak sliced through a pair of defenders and ripped a low shot that Zuker somehow managed to redirect. Matt Rodgers pounced on the rebound, but that was defused by Zuker as well.

  Ten seconds later, Rosales was denied by Zuker from the door step.

  With the final seconds of regulation ticking away, Jordan Smith made a slick feed to Kyle Korte, but the senior defenseman's effort slid less than a foot wide of the mark.