Box Score

Back-to-back fourth period goals from freshman Tyler Staruch (Brighton, MI/Brighton) provided a riveting comeback attempt, but the rookie's game-tying shot with two seconds left just went off the post as the Titans fell, 9-8, at Canisius on Wednesday afternoon.

The Titans (2-11, 1-5 MAAC) were down 9-6 entering the last period, but put all the pressure on the home team, firing 13 shots in the stanza compared to just two from Canisius (5-6, 4-2 MAAC). After two shots went wide, Staruch took a pass from sophomore Scott Harris (Saline, MI/Saline) and beat the goalie with 7:29 left. UDM then won the face-off and on its next possession, Staruch got the red, white and blue within one with an unassisted marker with 6:22 remaining.

Detroit then battled the Golden Griffins down the stretch with the defense stepping up on three occasions to force a turnover, twice with a great effort from freshman defenseman Jamie Hebden (Farmington Hills, MI/Brother Rice), but the Titans just could never get the equalizer.

UDM was down by two in the first, but a goal from sophomore John Nowicki (Clinton Twp., MI/De La Salle Collegiate) cut that in half. Canisius eventually regained a two-goal lead, 3-1, but in the second, senior Tim Shoemaker (Rochester, MI/Rochester) tallied his first collegiate goal and that was followed with a score from junior Tim Lehto (Farmington, MI/North Farmington).

The home team went on to notch four of the next five markers to open up a three-goal advantage, 7-4, early in the third when Harris was fed a pass from Nowicki and he put it away for his 12th of the season. After another home score, junior Matt Gregson (Flint, MI/Powers Catholic) notched his 17th goal on the year to make it an 8-6 deficit heading into the fourth.

Besides his two goals, Staruch also picked up three groundballs. Gregson added two helpers and freshman Jordan Houtby (St. Catharines, ON/Holy Cross Secondary) scooped up three GB's. Freshman A.J. Levell (Columbus, OH/Dublin Scioto) and senior Vince Diana (Massillon, OH/Jackson) had six saves apiece in between the pipes.

Detroit will close out the 2010 season with two home games, starting this Saturday when the Titans host Marist at 1:00 p.m., on Titan Field.