Plymouth icers dominant in victory over Walled Lake Unified
Lukas Mondro prepares to launch a shot at the goal while being defended by Kellan Colden.
Getting pucks to finish their flight in the back of opponents’ nets had been somewhat of an issue for Plymouth’s hockey team heading into Monday night’s non-conference showdown against visiting Walled Lake United.
Since a 4-0 victory over Ann Arbor Skyline on Nov. 15, 2025, the Wildcats had surpassed the three-goal mark just once.
Offense was far from a problem for Plymouth against the Whitecaps as the Wildcats upended their visitors from the north 4-1 with an attacking barrage of shots that — if not for a sterling effort from Walled Lake goalie Rafael Kheynson — could have resulted in eight or more lamp-lighters.
Spark for season’s second half
The triumph improved the Wildcats’ record to 6-9-1 as they crossed the threshold into the second half of the season.
Plymouth blitzed the Whitecaps with 15 shots in the second period alone, firing darts from all angles of the ice. Due in part to Kheynson’s abilities, Cooper Karapuz’s well-placed laser from 10 feet away was the only puck to elude the Whitecaps’ net-minder, but it extended the Wildcats’ advantage to what turned out to be insurmountable 3-0 advantage.
Karapuz was assisted by Adrian Clarke and Brady Martel.
Nice first period for ‘Cats
The winners accumulated all the scoring they would need in the opening 17-minute stanza thanks to goals from captain Lukas Mondro, who netted his fifth goal of the season, and freshman Zach Machnik, whose goal was his first high school lamp-lighter.
Mondro’s short-handed score was unassisted, while Liam Neuhart picked up an assist on Machnik’s goals.
After Walled Lake’s Warren Bruckman spoiled Plymouth goalie Jack Caveney’s shutout bid five minutes into the third period, Karapuz put the victory on ice, so to speak with an empty-netter at the 1:27 mark.
Caveney was splendid between the pipes for Plymouth, turning away 19 of the 20 shots he faced.
Plymouth returns to action on Friday when they host Novi in a 7:30 p.m. match-up at the Plymouth Cultural Center. The Wildcats will honor all members of the military on Friday.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
