PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Like 11 years previous, members from both sides of the 1999
Trenton (Mich.) and Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.) hockey teams knelt on the ice in unison after the fray.
This time Kurt LaTarte was among them. This time a final score had been decided.
Trenton scored three unanswered goals in the third period – two by game MVP Alec Lesko and an empty-netter by Brad Zancanaro – to pull out a 4-2 victory before approximately 3,500 frenzied and thoroughly entertained fans in the Gatorade Replay 2 game at Compuware Arena on Sunday.
But as Trenton head coach Mike Turner told both teams while huddled, the final score was mostly irrelevant.
"I told them the last time we were together it was a pretty sad situation," Turner said. "Tonight it was a very happy situation."
A similar scene but a much different mood from 11 years ago as coach Mike Turner addresses both teams.
Photo by Susan Goldman/Gatorade
He made a full recovery and actually made the contact to Gatorade – one of more than 2,000 applicants throughout the country – to participate in the thoroughly-planned, beautifully-executed, no-stone-left-unturned event.
It featured honorary coaches Scotty Bowman (Catholic Central) and Brendan Shanahan (Trenton), and game-day commissioner Gordie Howe, who dropped the ceremonial first puck. He also awarded the duplicate Stanley Cup to LaTarte and his teammates for winning the surprisingly crisp, hard-hitting and well-played game. 
Gordie Howe drops puck.
Photo by Steve Boyle/Gatorade
LaTarte, 29, and his younger brother Brad were key defenders Sunday, helping goalies Ben Rader and Tony Damiani turn away 28 Catholic Central shots. Though the victory was sweet, LaTarte said the experience far outweighed the final score.
"I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life for these guys," LaTarte said. "I never really got to sit down and talk to (them) since the accident. I started off having a lot of respect for (Catholic Central) players. They were willing to pray for someone else on the other team. Getting a chance to meet them was amazing."
The play – much like the first replay game, a football game last year between 1994 graduates from rivals Phillipsburg (N.J.) and Easton (Pa.) – was amazing to most also, especially NHL veterans Bowman and Shanahan. Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history, was particularly complimentary and downright "amazed" by the goalie play.
Catholic Central keeper Matthew Modelski, who played at Yale, had 37 saves.
Bowman said he’s attended numerous old-timer games but former goalies rarely show because of the required quickness, flexibility and reflexes it takes to be proficient. Bowman expected a high-scoring shootout.
Alec Lesko (right) celebrates with Nick Ouellette.
Photo by Steve Boyle/Gatorade
There was plenty of effort going around, no better proof of that, Catholic Central coach Todd Johnson said, than the postgame handshakes.
"The first six players I met had blood all over their jersey," Johnson said.
Indeed, Trenton came out fast and physical, peppering Modelski with 13 shots in the first quarter. Ironically, the only one that cleared the pipes was a short-handed tally by Zancanaro at 13:27 after Catholic Central scored first at 6:12 on a rebound from Jim Spiewak following shots from Brad Holland and Chris Morelli.
"We should have been down 4-0 after the first if not for our goalie," said Catholic Central forward Keith Rowe, a former standout in the Central Hockey League.
Modelsky was even better in the second, stopping 17 straight Trenton shots. A goal by Ryan Yost off feeds from Brandon Kaleniecki and Rowe gave the Shamrocks a 2-1 lead at 6:00 of the second.
But in the third, the Trojans, Lesko and Zancanaro took charge. Lesko tied things at the 6:03 mark on assists by Zancanaro and Nick Ouellette, before rebounding home a shot by Brent Ward after a feed from Zancanaro at 9:03 for the go-ahead tally.
"I just crashed the net," Lesko said. "Brent and Brad made a nice play, I went in to rebound, it went off my stick and went in. It wasn't pretty, but it was a goal."
Zancanaro put on the finishing touches with nine seconds remaining.
"For the most part, I think they outworked us a little," Rowe said. "I thought the third period would be our best, yet they got us 3-0. Physically, it came down to who wanted it more and it seems like Trenton did." 
Brendan Shanahan.
Photo by Steve Boyle/Gatorade
"That didn’t go unnoticed by our players," Turner said. "This was a second-chance opportunity. We wanted to win. (Catholic Central) didn’t have anything to prove. Our guys had something to prove."
Shanahan said both teams looked utterly inspired. The players, most of whom don’t even play recreational hockey any longer, had eight weeks to train under the guidance of Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
"I don’t think people realized how hard these guys worked," Shanahan said. "But with the hitting that went on, the laying down to block shots, they showed all the sacrifices it takes to win.
"I know we played this game because there wasn’t a winner in the past. But I can assure you both teams were winners."
When Turner was asked if this championship was more special than any of the state titles, he had to think a long while.
"We’re very happy with the Gatorade trophy," he said. "They say you can’t go back but today we went back. It doesn’t change 1999. Today was just a special event (for both teams). It’s something I’ll always remember and they’ll always remember.
"It was incredible." 
Trenton forward John Hackett holds up Stanley Cup duplicate trophy after helping Trojans to victory.
Photo by Susan Goldman/Gatorade
Seeing Red Wings
Bowman, who coached Shanahan seven seasons in Detroit while winning three Stanley Cups, took some fun barbs at his former standout early in a post-game press conference.
"I thought he might have forgotten most of what I (taught) him. When I coached him, he didn’t listen very well. But it looks like he figured it out on his own."
Retorted Shanahan: "Scotty told me after the game that the best team won. I told him I thought he was out-coached."
Shanahan described his relationship with Bowman as fatherly.
"I was sort of the teenager and he was the dad. I didn’t realize until later that dad was telling the truth.
"Actually, it was a thrill to come back and see Scotty. I’m going to retire from my coaching career 1-0."
Doctor in the house
Dr. David Wolf, who was credited with saving LaTarte’s life that fateful night in 1999, was at Sunday’s game cheering on both teams in a wheel chair, one he’s been relegated to since a go-cart accident in 2001. Wolf, whose son Brad was on the 1999 Trenton team, said he had an emotional and meaningful reunion with LaTarte at Friday’s final practice. It was the first time the two had met in person since the night of the skating mishap.
"The roles were a little reversed this time," Wolf said. "I’m the one now in a more vulnerable state."
Wolfe, who still practices medicine, was extremely upbeat about the game, his meeting with LaTarte and life.
"My accident was unfortunate but I can easily live with it because it happened doing something I truly love to do," he said.
LaTarte isn’t the only game-day save Wolf has managed. He had to perform the Heimlich Maneuver to a choking 3-year-old at a Tigers game a few years after his own accident.
"She wouldn’t have made it either," he said. "I’m just glad I could be there at right time."
More LaTarte
Asked about the play on the ice:
"Honestly, it exceeded everything I imagined," LaTarte said. "We came out ready to battle and obviously they did, too. The level of competition was way more than I expected."
On the crowd and support:
"It was huge. It was amazing to have all our family and friends supporting us. You almost had to block it out to focus on the game. I’ve never played with an atmosphere like that."
Coach Turner on the contrasting finishes to the Replay and original:
"When Kurt got cut we didn’t know how serious it was until he literally started turning blue. It was natural at the point for the teams to come together. The game, at that point, meant little emotionally. We were just concerned for Kurt. It was about life. … Tonight were just ecstatic to all be there. It doesn’t get any better."
