Spectators last year key cogs in Hartland hockey run – Livingston Daily

Carter Eiden, Joey Larson, Jed Pietila and Brenden Tulpa are former AAA players who joined Hartland's hockey team this season. Playing in big games like Tuesday's quarterfinal against Livonia Stevenson is why they came out. Bill Khan

Hartland's Brenden Tulpa has an overtime winner against Brighton among his 9 goals and 21 points in his first season with the high school team.(Photo: Gillis Benedict/Livingston Daily)

HARTLAND Hartland's Rick Gadwa could beat himself up and wonder "what if," but so can every other high school hockey coach in Michigan.

That's because, no matter the strength of the program, even the best high school teams in the state have players walking their hallways who can help them be even better.

Detroit Catholic Central loses such players. So does Brighton. So does Trenton.

As long as there's the perception that travel hockey is a better option for talented players than high school hockey, coaches like Gadwa will never get the best roster his school is capable of producing.

"I've said that the last five years that the one year you throw it all together you'd be a juggernaut, almost unstoppable," Gadwa said. "That's the way it works."

Hartland got Josh Albring and Jake Behnke to come out for the team last season, additions that helped the Eagles reach the state Division 2 semifinals.

Meanwhile, Hartland students Carter Eiden, Joey Larson, Jed Pietila and Brenden Tulpa continued their hockey careers at the AAA travel level.

This year all four decided to play for Hartland. One of the reasons they play for the second-ranked Eagles (24-2-1) is a game like the onethey'll play at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday against fourth-ranked Livonia Stevenson (17-10-1) in the state quarterfinals at Novi Ice Arena.

All four were spectators last season when the Eagles made their run to the state semifinals, losing 5-1 to Stevenson. Now they'll all play key roles as Hartland tries to win the program's first state championship.

"The reason I actually came over to Hartland is because of the state quarterfinal last year," said Eiden, a senior defenseman. "I was at the Brother Rice-Hartland game. Ever since that game, it's been in the back of my head. That's what I'm here for. That's what I play for."

Eiden has been the cornerstone of Hartland's defense, who has allowed only 41 goals in 27 games.

Hartland's Jed Pietila has 19 goals and 34 assists in 20 games heading into the state quarterfinals against Livonia Stevenson.(Photo: Timothy Arrick)

Pietila has been an explosive addition on the offensive end, scoring 19 goals and 34 assists in only 20 games. He missed seven games with a broken jaw.

Pietila doesn't believe he short-changed his hockey future by playing for his high school.

"The coaches said, 'If you're good enough, you can move on from wherever,'" Pietila said. "I figured I'd spend less money and see what I can do."

Larson and Tulpa have brothers who were on last year's team, so they were at nearly every Hartland game, soaking in the atmosphere.

Now that they're part of it, they believe it's the best decision they could have made.

"It's the best year of hockey I've ever had," said Tulpa, who scored the overtime winner in the first of Hartland's two victories over Brighton. "I've had more fun than I've ever had before. It's awesome."

Larson said that playing high school hockey has made him better.

"When I played on Compuware, we only skated three times a week," said Larson, who has 15 goals and 10 assists in 27 games. "Now we skate every day of the week. I'm improving and playing against bigger kids, so it's a lot harder and more challenging."

Playing in rivalry games has been a huge change, Eiden said. The Eagles will face another rival in the quarterfinals, having lost to Stevenson in the 2013 state championship game and 2016 semifinals. Hartland beat Stevenson in the regular season the last two seasons.

"It's just been the greatest hockey I've ever played in my life," said Eiden, who had the winning goal in the second game against Brighton. "The whole community is behind you, coming to every game supporting you. The hatred between Brighton and Howell, every aspect of that, puts fire in the pot for you. Guys are ready to roll at a whole different level than in AAA games."

Hartland may have to play Stevenson without No. 1 goalie Andrew Heuwagen, who missed Monday's practice with a 102-degree temperature. If he can't play, the Eagles have a capable No. 2 goalie in Brett Tome, who has victories over Hancock, Brighton and Detroit Catholic Central on his resume.

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Spectators last year key cogs in Hartland hockey run - Livingston Daily