Biggest Rivalry Night of the Year
DCC and Brother Rice highlight a packed Wednesday night of rivalries
Craig Peterson
November 26, 2024
Alumni are back in town. It’s a shortened week with an extended holiday break. The stage sets itself for Wednesday — the night before Thanksgiving — to be the biggest rivalry night of the year. This week is no exception, so allow me to highlight some of the most important games on the calendar this holiday weekend. I’ve stuffed a few extra games into the slate, too, so it’s time to feast!
A reminder of where we stand after last week’s picks:
Petey: 10-4
Public: 7-6-1
Wednesday, Nov. 27th
Kalamazoo vs. Kalamazoo United
5:15 p.m. at Wings West
Kalamazoo United won this rivalry game last Thanksgiving Eve, and it proved to be its biggest win of the ‘23-24 season. I think it ends up being a launching point for KU this time around, and propels them to stack up a couple wins this winter. Defense is a concern, considering KU has allowed 13 goals against in just two games. But I’m taking Cade Sutton and Brady Penny to get it done for the second year in a row.
Petey’s Pick: Kalamazoo United
Stevenson vs. Salem
6 p.m. at Eddie Edgar Ice Arena
Not the most intense rivalry in the state, but a lot at stake with these two teams coming together. The KLAA East came down to these two teams last season, and will likely come down to the winner of this game again. Salem has an exceptionally talented line of Dom Chaput, Nolan Kaminski and Karsen Patel. But Stevenson brings a ton of structure and discipline, and most importantly, has last change. If this turns into a matchup chess match, it’s advantage Spartans.
Petey’s Pick: Livonia Stevenson
Rochester United vs. Stoney Creek
6 p.m. at Suburban Ice Macomb
The classic battle between ‘the guys over there.’ Check out my YouTube channel for context. Rochester United is significantly improved from a season ago, with a guy like Brayden Buckler who’s come in and made an immediate impact. The first-year sophomore leads RU in scoring through three games, and was on my short list of players to watch in the OAA. I like Buckler and RU to have a strong season, but Stoney Creek’s speed may be too much too early. Senior Colin Lott has nine points in five games; that’s already surpassed his total from a season ago. Lott, Christian Gojcaj and Dylan Smith are just too much for RU to handle. Cougars win 5-2.
Petey’s Pick: Stoney Creek
Grosse Pointe South vs. University Liggett
7 p.m. at East Side Foundation Hockey Arena
University Liggett is off to a 3-0-0 start for the first time since 2022; a season in which the Knights won 16 games. But the schedule gets significantly harder over the next two weeks. Grosse Pointe South stands in their way Wednesday, with matchups against No. 8 Flint Powers, No. 15 De La Salle and No. 16 Lumen Christi on the horizon as well. South is no pushover, but I’m going to take Liggett to edge out one more win before facing a gauntlet of a December schedule.
Petey’s Pick: University Liggett
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. Brighton
7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Athletic Center
A rivalry that’s not really a rivalry but treated like a rivalry. Second-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and No. 11 Brighton have played on Thanksgiving Eve every year as far back as 2013. Both teams come in undefeated — albeit, a small sample size — and the Bulldogs’ young squad may just be up to the task of taking on the No. 2 team in the state. Expect it to be a close game, but experience trumps youth, and the Eaglets win because of seniors like Julian Johnston and Will Keane. OLSM wins 4-2.
Petey’s Pick: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
DCC vs. Brother Rice
7:30 p.m. at USA Hockey Arena
No. 10 Brother Rice has a real shot here at knocking off No. 1 Detroit Catholic Central. The building is going to be electric, and people will be packed into every crevice of the arena to watch this one live. In an environment like that, at this level, anything can happen. The Warriors have a veteran squad who have tasted defeat at the hands of CC on multiple occasions. Roman Villaire, Nick Prisby, Evan Murphy… these guys remember what it was like having the Shamrocks on the ropes with a 4-0 lead, only to see CC storm back and steal a victory. The sour taste of blowing that lead still lingers a year later. Rice plays inspired, keeps it close and gives CC its biggest scare in recent memory, but I’d be a fool to pick against the Shamrocks. Catholic Central extends its streak with a 4-3 win.
Petey’s Pick: Detroit Catholic Central
Portage vs. Mattawan
7:30 p.m. at Wings West
I’m told Wings West will be a sold out crowd on Wednesday night, ahead of this SCHL matchup between Portage and Mattawan. These two teams have split the season series one win apiece three of the last four seasons, but Mattawan has been victorious in the Thanksgiving Eve classic three years in a row. Honestly, this game may be decided in the first period. Whoever can get out to an early lead will take the crowd out of it and be able to ‘shell up’ defensively. Give me Portage to jump out to a 2-0 lead early, and then muck it up for the next two periods to win a 5-2, 6-3, type of game.
Petey’s Pick: Portage
Trenton vs. De La Salle
7:30 p.m. at Kennedy Recreation Center
A top-25 matchup between two teams in the middle of the standings capable of going in either direction. I’m intrigued by both No. 12 Trenton and No. 15 De La Salle because as much as I know about guys like Evan Sivi and Dylan Blackwood, there’s a lot of unknowns about these two programs at the moment. It seems like both are still looking for an identity and — like many teams around the state — experimenting with line combinations and D pairings, looking to refine the lineup. I don’t know that this game provides any clear cut answers for either side, but I do expect it to be a close and exciting game. I’ll take the home team Trojans to gut out a 3-2 win over the Pilots.
Petey’s Pick: Trenton
Novi vs. Northville
7:45 p.m. at Novi Ice Arena
It’s guaranteed to be a close game. In the last eight meetings, only one has been decided by more than three goals. I lean Northville heavy in this matchup, considering they’ll likely have the best forward (Tommy Marinoff) and best defenseman (Alex McCallum) on the ice. But I also would’ve leaned heavily against Novi in its games against West Ottawa and Forest Hills Central last weekend, and the Wildcats were victorious in both. If Luke Londo can get Novi to 5-0-0 to begin the season, heads are going to turn and people are going to take notice. Myself included. Until then, though, I’ll take Northville to win its fifth of the last six meetings, 3-2 final.
Petey’s Pick: Northville
GR Christian vs. GRCC
8 p.m. at Eagles Ice Center
Grand Rapids Catholic Central has won six consecutive meetings in this series dating back to the ‘18-19 season. That ends this week. Grand Rapids Christian should have a decisive edge in net with senior Brayden Melinn, who made 34 saves in a 4-2 win over Plymouth on opening night. Josh Hooper and Brody Baysore also give the Eagles weapons that GRCC is lacking at the moment. Oh, and it’s a home game for GRC. Coach Mike Slobodnik is a tactician, and can keep this a close game by moving chess pieces around and diagramming some things up on the whiteboard, but ultimately, I’ve got GR Christian prevailing 3-1.
Petey’s Pick: Grand Rapids Christian
Friday, Nov. 29th
Cranbrook vs. Cap City
12 p.m. at Wallace Ice Arena
I mentioned Cap City’s climb up the state ranks earlier this week, and how a big win was coming their way sooner or later. Well, I think they get it here. The annual Cranbrook Thanksgiving tournament has been a springboard for programs on the rise. Teams like Livonia Stevenson, Brighton and Rochester United catapulted their way to dominance in the early 2010s, and in more recent years, Clarkston and Salem. The Cranes are good. Nick Timko, Will Nottle and Gianluca Di Salvo are a talented top line, and Blake Tice has been great as of late. It just feels like a spot for Chase Potter, Roman Barnes and Will Tucker to build off of last week’s close call with Stevenson. Give me the Caps 3-2.
Petey’s Pick: Cap City
Brighton vs. Hartland
2 p.m. at Biggby Coffee Ice Cube
The second annual Thanksgiving Invitational starts with a matchup between cross-county rivals. This time around, the roles are reversed, as No. 3 Hartland is the legitimate state title contender and No. 11 Brighton is a young and hungry bunch. The script completely flipped from this same time a season ago. The Eagles maintain a slight 5-3-2 advantage in the last 10 games of the series. It’ll be a young Brighton squad’s first big test of the season, and I don’t know that they’ll have an answer for Hartland’s deep and diverse offense. Give me the Eagles big, 5-1.
Petey’s Pick: Hartland
Romeo vs. SCS Unified
4 p.m. at Suburban Ice Macomb
A decided victory over Anchor Bay and a mercy victory of Forest Hills Northern-Eastern, coupled with a good showing in defeat to No. 15 De La Salle. St. Clair Shores Unified has managed to turn some heads through the first two weeks of the season — myself included. Romeo may not be the same team that won 19 games a season ago, but the Bulldogs did look solid against the Bay Reps. It’ll be a great test for the Lakers who have a noticeably more difficult schedule this season. A win here confirms what many are thinking, so give me Will Young and SCS to validate their claims with a 3-1 win.
Petey’s Pick: St. Clair Shores Unified
Clarkston vs. Forest Hills Central
4:30 p.m. at Biggby Coffee Ice Cube
The other half of the Thanksgiving Invitational in Brighton this weekend, Clarkston rolled in this matchup a season ago. These are two teams with a lot of talent but mixed results in the early stages of the schedule. Both have dropped games I thought they’d win. I’m not worried about either the Wolves or Rangers, as I expect both to take shape as the season progresses. But coach Nathan Bryer’s squad seems a bit further along in the process having lost two one-goal games to Top-25 teams, one of those coming in overtime. This is a ‘get right’ spot for Clarkston and I think they leave this weekend feeling really good about themselves, starting with a 5-2 win over FHC.
Petey’s Pick: Clarkston
Marquette vs. Houghton
6:30 p.m. at Lakeview Arena
The first of a two-game weekend series between No. 13 Marquette and No. 5 Houghton. It’ll have college hockey vibes all over it with the two teams playing on consecutive nights, but for sake of the picks, I’ll just focus on the first matchup. I know they just lost to Escanaba, but the Sentinels may be the best team in the U.P. They’ll get a chance to prove just that on Friday — and again on Saturday — by taking on the ‘King of the North’ in the Gremlins. Cole Kelly is playing fantastic out of the gate, and a hot goalie could neutralize Houghton’s top guns Jace DeForge and Connor Arko. I’ll take Marquette in a scrappy 2-1 win.
Petey’s Pick: Marquette
Calumet vs. Hancock
7 p.m. at Calumet Colosseum
Just 10 miles separate these two schools, and they play each other more than anyone else in Michigan high school hockey. In four scheduled meetings last season, Hancock swept Calumet four games to none, and has won the last six games overall. But this Bulldogs team has some question marks after an offseason of departures and an 0-2-0 start to the season. Calumet isn’t exactly cruising either after giving up seven goals in its opener, so Game 1 in this series could be an absolute shootout. I’ll take the Copper Kings to win a track meet, 6-4.
Petey’s Pick: Calumet
Saturday, Nov. 30th
Alpena vs. Caledonia
7 p.m. at Northern Lights Arena
Off to a 4-0-0 start, Alpena is doing Alpena things this winter. The Wildcats have won four consecutive MHSAA regional championships, and look poised to make it five in a row early on. Gavin Winterstein and Garrett Hamp look exceptional, and guys like Clark Weir, Ethan Walker and Brody Misiak are providing important depth as well. As good as Alpena looks, there’s a lot of hype surrounding this Caledonia team. The Scots are 4-0-0 as well, and they’ve got high expectations. For those assumptions to become a reality, Caledonia needs to win here to propel them into the statewide conversation. I’m buying the hype. Scots win a thriller up north, 4-3.
Petey’s Pick: Caledonia
Byron Center vs. East Grand Rapids
5 p.m. at Southside Ice Arena
This is likely a meeting between the two best teams in West Michigan. The same could be said last season as well, but many assumed the reigning Division-II state champion Byron Center and Division-III finalist East Grand Rapids were significantly depleted from their runs in ‘23-24. I don’t believe that. East has reloaded and re-tooled, and I’ve been buying this trio of James Albers, Oliver Owen and Brady Ross all fall. They’ve combined for 14 of the Pioneers’ 19 goals so far this season. Luke Philo and Braxton McKee are a nice tandem as well, and junior Quinn Sall managed to neutralize Salem’s dynamic offense last week. Both of these teams are better than the state’s current perception of them, and I think this game is loaded with excitement and drama. Pioneers win 3-2.
Petey’s Pick: East Grand Rapids
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