Canes only team to solve Whitecaps in NGHL play

By Jim den Hollander 

Editor/Publisher  

Saukhockey.info  

The Lake City Whitecaps collected wins in three of five games at the National Girls Hockey League 14U Tournament played in Ann Arbor, MI played Nov. 17-19 but also ran into a team that can compete with them. 

After taking all six games at a previous event in Pennsylvania and posting wins in their first three games in Ann Arbor, the Caps ran into the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes not once, but twice, surrendering a pair of 2-1 decisions in Michigan.  

In the first three games, the Whitecaps posted wins against the Boston Advantage, Chicago Hawks and Buffalo Regals.  

Following is a quick look at the weekend for the Caps in the order games were played  

Boston Advantage 0 @ Lake City Whitecaps 6  

Caps eased into the weekend, outshooting the Ads 15-7 and capturing a shutout win.  

Eleanor Porter posted the only goal needed 4:28 from the end of the opening period from Mirella Quartuccio and Anjali Ballweg.  

Second period goals from Evelyn Bahe, Kinley Irwin and Natalee Gesicki padded the leade, both Bahe and Irwin notching seconds in the final frame.  

Assists went to Porter, Ballweg and Quartuccio.  

Ivy Hare collected another goose egg in goal with quality instead of quantity as she needed to make just seven stops. 

Buffalo Regals 3 @ Lake City Whitecaps 5  

The Regals and Caps tangle at the Pennsylvania tournament as well, Caps coming out on top 3-1. 

This time around the Whitecaps carried a 2-1 lead out of the first period and extended it to 4-1 before the Regals pulled one back late in the second.  

Regals got to within a goal in the third Haley Royster clinched the win inside the final five minutes. 

Along with Royster, Caps got goals from Gesicki, Ballweg, Irwin and Bahe with assists for Porter (2), Gesicki, Quartuccio and Royster.  

Hare collected another win in goal kicking out six of eight. 

Lake City Whitecaps 6 @ Chicago Hawks 0 

Hare added to her shutout total again as the Caps kicked off another two-game day with a 6-0 decision against the Hawks. She proved her mettle with this win though as the Caps were outshot in the contest 21-18. 

The Caps increased their total each period with a goal in the first, two in the second and three more down the stretch. 

Royster and Porter paced the attack with two goals each, others added by Ballweg and Penelope Loeffelholz. Bahe and Ballweg both set up a pair with other assists recorded by Porter, Phoebe Hager and Irwin. 

Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 2 @ Lake City Whitecaps 1  

After nine straight National Girls Hockey League tournament wins, the Caps were finally solved by the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes.  

The Caps owned a 24-21 edge in shots on goal and led the game 1-0 early after Irwin set up Royster.  

Allison Sauls tied it a little under five minutes later for the Canes and it was Sauls again with the game winner late in the second period.  

Lake City Whitecaps 1 @ Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 2 (so) 

The second time around, Caps took the Canes all the way to a shootout before succumbing by the same 2-1 score.  

Natalee Gesicki put the Caps up early again with the only goal of the first period with assists for Margaret Colletti and Anjali Ballweg. 

Lexi Durant responded for the Canes and goaltenders took over from there, both Hare and Madison Williams stopping 19 of 20 including all 22 shots faced – 13 for Hare and nine for Williams – in the third period.  

Teams ultimately went to a shootout where Ballweg scored the lone goal for the Caps, compared to two goals for the Canes, lifting them to the win. 

CAPS NOTES – Members of the 14U whitecaps took a break from the tournament to pay a visit to Adrian College where Zoe Lohrei, daughter of former Sauk Prairie Eagles varsity head coach Dave Lohrei goes to school and plays hockey as a junior. 

— This weekend the Caps were scheduled to play a pair of home games against Elmbrook, leading into a busy December with another tournament leading it off in the Windy City. 

Strong performance for Ducks at Detroit event

By Jim den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher  

Saukhockey.info  

Editor’s note – Apologies for the delay on this story and all of the others (at least eight) that will follow over the Thanksgiving weekend. Focus shifted a bit in recent days as I once again find myself in Ontario with my ill father. Hopefully I will get caught up and stay focused on the amazing run the Ducks have put together this month. 

For a second time, the Dells Ducks hit paydirt going against teams from other divisions at the second of two Showcase tournaments.  

This time the Ducks headed to Motown to take part in the Midwest Showcase and the locals posted wins in three of four contests, putting up the strongest performance of anyone in the Midwest-West Division. 

The wins come on the hills of a pair of lopsided defeats in Wisconsin Rapids the previous weekend and show the team got the message from the the best way a coach can show their disappointment…a bag skate. 

The Ducks started with a 5-4 edge against the Buffalo Stampede Friday (Nov. 18) morning,  then returned to the ice later the same day and dropping a 3-1 decision to the MJDP from the Metro Jets program. 

On Saturday, the Ducks returned with a 4-3 edge against the Cincinnati Cyclones and on Sunday, they picked up an impressive 3-1 decision against the Chicago Crush. 

Buffalo Stampede 4 @ Dells Ducks 5 

The Ducks rolled into the Detroit area and started the tournament off with a come from behind win against the Stampede.  

For a team that has had mighty struggles in the opening period, an impressive first 20 saw the Ducks stay even on shots 8-8 with Buffalo, but on the scoreboard the Stampede held a 2-1 edge. Bryce Purtill’s second goal of the season was sandwiched between the two Stampede tallies with assists for Austin Plumert, a Michigan native and Martin Sorelli. 

Three consecutive middle period markers turned things around for the Ducks, Buffalo counting a late one to get back within a goal. 

Andy Gonzalez and Jack Kopfstein fired the first two before Purtill notched his second of the game and third of the season. Scott had set ups on all three second period goals with other assists for Purtill and Kopfstein. 

The Stampede rallied to tie the game 6:31 into the final frame but Zach Halling restored the lead with the game winner less than four minutes from the finish with Plumert collecting another assist. 

Jack Freiburger stopped 23 shots to collect his first junior victory in goal. 

MJDP 3 @ Ducks 1  

Before taking on the Ducks, MJDP picked up impressive wins against Midwest-West superpowers, Minnesota Moose and Minnesota Blue Ox and afterward they knocked off the same Riverkings that pounded Ducks the previous weekend. 

But Ducks, led by Anthony Falzone who is making a case for himself as a goaltender of month in the Midwest-West, kept it close to the end.  

In fact, when Halling notched his second goal of the day 5:27 from the final buzzer, the Ducks were staying right with the junior Jets in an exciting penalty-free contest.  

Quinten Clausen collected an assist on the goal and Falzone continued to be the best protection againt the first period barrage as the Ducks trailed 1-0 after a period in which they were outshot 16-4.  

MJDP scored once in each period for a total of three goals on 36 shots. 

Ducks 4 @ Cincinnati Cyclones 3  

This was the scariest game of the weekend for the Ducks as the Cyclones rolled into the event without a regulation win this season. Nobody wants to be the one that is the first victim in that scenario. 

The Cyclones kept it close, but the Ducks, but goaltender Juan Aguilar closed and bolted the door at the right time. The Ducks never trailed in the contest but saw a comfortable 4-1 cushion turn into a narrow cushion early in the third before Aguilar took over.  

Wisconsin Rapids based defender Keynan Miller opened the scoring the lone goal of the opening period before a pair from William Stornello and another off the stick of Alic Schuster widened the gap in the middle period.  

Clausen and Reece Atkins both picked up a couple assists with others going to Austin Plumert and Scott.  

Ducks 3 @ Chicago Crush 1 

The timing was perfect for a return to the Ducks crease for Chris Mazurek who starred in goal for the team last season.   

In his first game for the Ducks, Mazurek kicked out all but one of the 31 shots he faced but the Ducks played well in front of him with one of the best offensive shows so far this season.  

Ducks’ shooters fired 37 shots the other way including a rare 11-10 edge in the opening period.  

The only goal to get by Mazurek came late in the first period but was quickly wiped out as Ashot Davtyan found the mark 40 seconds from the end of the period with help from Purtill and Lucas Andruskiewicz.  

Lucas Epperson put the Ducks in front to stay with the lone goal of the middle period, Austin Plumert and Atkins chipping in the assists.  

Insurance came from Dells resident John Scott who fired his fifth of the season in the third period from Miller and Halling.  

Duck Quacks – The performance in Detroit boosted the Ducks’ record for the month of November to 4-4 and they could wrap up their first north of .500-month Sunday afternoon when they travel to Owatonna, Minnesota for their third meeting of the month and fourth of the season against the Blades.  

— Ducks share the wealth well when it comes to scoring. Jack Kopfstein leads the team with eight goals and 11 points but there are seven players with at least 10 points and several others that could join that club within the next few games.  

— The Detroit Showcase was the second and final tournament of the season for the Ducks this season. In past seasons they have attended three Showcases which worked out perfectly with four meetings against each division opponent for a 44-game total. This season the Ducks will instead play four crossover games against the Nashville Spartans – two at home and two in the Country Western capital. The first two will be played Dec. 1-2 before a well-deserved weekend off, the team’s first since the season started in September.  

Alex Yacko memorial tourney Saturday at RACA

By Jim den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher  

Saukhockey.info  

For sports, the Thanksgiving weekend is generally quiet. This year it seems busier than ever and one local tradition could be possible for local fans.  

A tournament that brings the who’s who of former RWD and BRH players to the Reedsburg Area Community Arena, recently renamed the Alex Yacko Memorial Tournament will run for a ninth straight year on Saturday, Nov. 25.  

Jeramy Greenwood, the tournament organizer puts together the event that takes over the local barn for about six hours, starting at 3 p.m. Along with a chance to see the players that represented the local varsity program, there are some nice raffle prizes, including Packers and Hockey Badgers tickets and a couple Connor Bedard Blackhawks jerseys. 

Admission is free at RACA and funds raised at the local event will go to support area hockey programs.

Ducks looking to strike gold in Motown

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Dells Ducks are off to the Motor City this weekend for their second and final USPHL Premier League Showcase.

The Ducks will be one of six Midwest-West Division teams competing at the 19-team event along with teams from the Midwest-East, Great Lakes and Atlantic Divisions.

The Ducks will play their first of two games on Friday at noon (EST) against the Buffalo Stampede, then take on MJDP at 6:30 p.m.

The team will get the quick turnaround, back on the ice at 8:30 a.m. Saturday against the Cincinnati Cyclones, wrapping it up at 4 p.m. Sunday against the Chicago Crush.

Following is a quick look at the four games Ducks will play this weekend.

Dells Ducks (4-13-1-1) vs. Buffalo Stampede (2-17-0-0)

The Ducks are coming off a tough weekend in Wisconsin Rapids and enter the weekend riding a three-game losing streak and 1-3 in the month so far.

The Stampede opened play in Detroit Thursday with a 6-4 loss against the Minnesota Moose, running its own losing streak to two games after collecting a sweep on home ice against the Columbus Mavericks Nov. 10-11. Before that, the Stampede dropped its first 13 games of the regular season.

Ducks have outscored the Stampede 47-34 through 19 games and would love to set the tone for a successful weekend with a win in the opener. This will be the first time the Stampede and Ducks have played against each other.

Ducks are led offensively by defenseman Jack Kopfstein with seven goals and 17 points while Owen Plumert leads the team in goals with eight and is second in points with 12.

The Stampede is led by Caden Cavelieri who has six goals and 13 points and Matthew Riblet with three goals and a dozen points.

In goal, the Ducks will likely use four different goaltenders on the weekend, but which goaltender will play in which game is still to be determined.

Dells Ducks (4-13-1-1) vs. MJDP (7-2-0-2)

MJDP, part of the Metro Jets program that is hosting the event is coming in hot to this game having opened the tournament with a 7-2 win against the Minnesota Blue Ox on Thursday and they will take on the Moose earlier Friday before facing the Ducks.

This is the first showcase for MJDP and the have played eight games fewer than the Ducks as of Thurdsday night.

The team’s leading scorer is Royal St. Cyr with six goals and 15 points and he is closely followed by Jacques Lavrack with four goals and 12 points.

Dells Ducks (4-13-1-1) vs. Cincinnati Cyclones (0-14-1-0)

The Cyclones are still searching for their first win of the regular season and sit at the bottom of the Great Lakes Division.

Saturday against the Ducks will be the first game of the Showcase for Cincy with others against Elmira Impact, Chicago Cougars and Decatur Blaze on the weekend.

Garrett Elliott is the team’s leading scorer heading into the weekend with five goals and eight points.

The team has scored just 23 goals in 15 games.

Dells Ducks (4-13-1-1) vs. Chicago Crush (8-3-1-0)

The Crush sit third in the Midwest-East division but oddly, will roll into Detroit without a game played since the Minnesota Showcase in late October.

Both the Ducks and Crush will be playing their finale Sunday against each other. The Crush schedule is similar to the Ducks with games against Columbus and Buffalo from the Great Lakes Division Friday and a Saturday game against the Hershey Cubs.

The Crush is led offensively by Caden Day with six goals and 12 points followed by three players with eight each.

Duck Quacks — The Ducks could be joined by Chris Maszurek in Detroit as he has apparently made his way back to the team after being the leader in goal last season. That is a silver lining with some related bad news as Michael Carden suffered his second concussion of the season in Wisconsin Rapids last weekend. The schedule for Carden’s return is unclear as of today.

— The Ducks will cross the halfway mark of the regular season in Detroit and have not had a weekend off since the start of the regular season. That will continue through the Thanksgiving Weekend, generally a dark weekend. The team has been scheduled to play Sunday (Nov. 26) with an important game in Owatonna, MN against the Steele County Blades.

The grind will continue into December as the Ducks travel to Nashville for a cross-division series against the Nashville Spartans from the Great Lakes Division.

A highly anticipated weekend off will follow with a three-game homestand Dec. 15-17 wrapping up a short five-game month of December.

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Luxford provides all he can for Yellowjackets

By JIm den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher 

Saukhockey.info 

One of the things organizers of the Bar Down Beer League stressed about before the start of the first season at Lake Delton Ice Arena was parity among the four competing teams. 

They can surely rest easy now on that front. 

On Sunday night, the third night of action for the league featured a pair of games both going to an extra time shootout. The league opened with a 5-0 decision but followed that up with three shootout decisions and two others not settled until an empty net goal put it away. 

Three weeks in there are no longer any winless or undefeated both thanks to a thrilling 5-4 shootout win by the previously 0-2 Black Aces against the 2-0 Yellow Jackets in the first shootout Sunday night 

The other game also went to penalties, Green Machine coming out on top 3-2 against the Army Ducks. 

Black Aces 5 Yellow Jackets 4 (so)

Austin Luxford simply couldn’t do any more to help his club on Sunday night. He fired all four regulation goals as his built a 3-1 lead and rallied late to send the game to shootout after his late marker.  

Luxford went on to add the team’s only shootout tally, but Black Aces goals by John Scott and Peyton Sloan led the team to the win column for the first time after a six-round shootout. 

Dillion Conroy had the Aces on the board first, converting a passs from Nate Stando, but that set the stage for a Luxford natural hat trick. 

Unassisted goals by Dan Smolen and Scott pulled the aces even in the second period and Black moved in front for the first time with Stando’s second, set up by Mason Yang.for 

Cooper Oakes picked up the win in goal for the Aces with 26 saves, Matt Melvin kicking out 28 for Yellow. 

Green Machine 3 Army Ducks 2

Another back-and-forth game saw the Green Machine and Army Ducks even at 1-1 after a period and 2-2 heading to the third. A scoreless final period resulted in a shootout. Josh Krueger fired the lone Ducks’ marker in the shootout while Jordan Brown responded for the Mahine setting the stage for a fourth-round game Winner scored by Austin Phillips. 

Krueger, a former Dells Ducks player also scored the first Army Ducks tally with help from current Ducks coaches, Anthony Rohde and Derek Tylka. 

Steven Mordini notched the equalizer for Green Machine from Phillips.  

In the second period John Scott scored with an assist for Dan Smolen for the Ducks but Phillips collected the equalizer from Brown. 

New Badger Lightning excited to show what it can do

By Jim den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher  

Saukhockey.info 

The Badger Lightning varsity girl’s hockey team is entering a new, interesting period with a lot of new faces in the lineup. 

Some of the seniors on this team were present for the Covid season, a team with exactly two lines desperately trying to stay healthy as any absences would be devastating, blessed with a young team with no graduations pending that season. 

Now four short seasons later the team enters having to replace one of the strongest group of players the team has season but blessed with nearly 30 players allowing the team to operate a full junior varsity program. 

More than 40 of last season’s 73 goals left through graduation and the number grew with the relocation of incoming senior Reese Olson over the summer. She would have been the team’s offensive leader this season and also gone is sophomore defender Dayana Merrell who is exploring the AAA route with the Madison Capitols. 

But Head Coach Rick Capener is confident an energetic crew led by senior co-captains Madchen Ewig and Karsen Nicksic along with senior goaltender Alyssa Gada and a solid supporting staff of seniors, juniors sophomores and freshmen will keep the team in Badger midpack, if not a move higher in the standings.  

The team backed up his claim with a solid showing in their pre-season scrimmage in Sun Prairie this past weekend.  

Junior Kayla Garbacz could be one to watch as she is among the scoring leader of returning players and she plays the same aggressive style that Kayla Capener, Mallory Ruland, Bella Bowden and Olson contributed last season. Nicksic, Ewig and others will also be contributors on a lineup that could be a bit deeper and more balanced than previous seasons.  

With Gada and now first year goaltender Olivia Renneberg as the back stoppers and a solid d-corps led by sophomore Paige Othmer, there may not be a need for as many goals to pull out wins as well.  

The WIAA regular season gets underway Saturday on the road as the Lightning travels to the Mullet Ice Center in Hartland to take on the Arrowhead Warhawks. The Lightning started last season on home ice against the Warhawks as well, dropping a 6-1 decision.  

Lightning will follow that up with four straight on home ice starting Tuesday with a visit from the Coulee Region Cyclones.  

RWD could rely on speed and defense this season

By Jim den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher 

Saukhockey.info 

The RWD varsity high school hockey team, representing Reedsburg, Mauston and Wisconsin Dells High School is planning to use speed and solid defense to make up for what could be leaner look on offense. 

Graduations of some top offensive players in recent years is a factor, but with more than two decades of experience coaching this team, Neil Mattson is used to season-t0-season adversity. 

On paper, the team on isee a slight drop in goals for this season but Mattson is impressed with the speed and attention to detail from the current group who accepted the challenge of stepping up its on ice conditioning during pre-season captain’s practices that are generally more relaxed shinny sessions. 

The team will face its first pre-season tests on Thursday (Nov. 16) with scrimmage sessions at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA) against South Central Navigators (formerly Deforest Norskies), Monona Grove Silver Eagles and West Salem Panthers. The sessions will run from 5-9 p.m.  

The WIAA regular season will open for RWD on Tuesday (Nov. 21) at South Wood County Recreation Center in Wisconsin Rapids against the host Red Raiders at 7 p.m. and the locals will follow that up with what has become an annual trek to a small tournament in Somerset, playing the Eau Claire North Huskies at Friday. 

On Saturday, the RWD crew will take on either Menomonie or Somerset, depending on Friday results.  

First home game for the local side will be Dec. 1 against the Avalanche, a co-operative effort out of La Crosse Aquinas. 

After the Badger North was changed to the Badger West last season, it has gone under another facelift to the Badger ‘Small’ Conference. The conference still includes Madison Edgewood though and RWD will face the two-time defending champion Crusaders out of the game at RACA on Dec. 5 at RACA. 

That will be the first of five straight conference matches, the fifth against the McFarland Spartans doubling as the opener of the annual Holiday tournament at Lake Delton Ice Arena Dec. 28. 

Caps split with Sabres at SPARC

By Jim den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher 

Saukhockey.info 

The Lake City 14U ‘A’ Girl’s hockey team played their first home games in a month this past weekend collecting a split with the Sabres from the Chicago area.  

After collecting a 5-0 win in the opening contest, the Sauk Prairie based Wh, Miecaps saw a stiffer challenge in the second match later Saturday, surrendering a 4-3 decision. 

In the opener, the Caps opened a 2-0 first period lead adding two more in the second and another down the stretch. 

Leading the charge in the opener was the goaltending tandem of Ivy Hare and Megan Collins who combined on a 33-save shutout. 

Natalee Gesicki opened the scoring and wrapped up the game with two goals, Mirella Quartuccio and Penelope Loeffelholz both adding a goal and assist and Jessie Cullison notching the other.  

Eleanor Porter chipped in two assists. 

In the return match, teams were even at 1-1 after a period and 3-3 heading to the third. 

Lauren Deutch fired her second of the game to put the Sabres in front to stay early in the third period.  

Farrah Lassister counted the other two Sabres, 

For the Caps, goals came from Loeffelholz, Porter and Magaret Colletti with assists going to Evelyn Bahe, Phoebe Hager, Anjali Ballweg and Kinley Irwin. 

Collins handled 14 shots in goal for the Caps. 

The weekend set was a final tuneup for the Caps who head to Ann Arbor, MI Friday for its second National Girls Hockey League tournament, qualifying them for the National Championship event in St. Louis in the spring.  

The team is scheduled to play five games, taking on the Boston Advantage, Buffalo Regals, Chicago Hawks and the Caroline Jr. Hurricanes twice.  

The Caps played the Regals at their earlier event in Pennsylvania, collecting a 3-1 win in October. 

Riverkings salvo too much for Ducks’ goaltenders

By Jim den Hollander  

Editor/Publisher  

Saukhockey.info  

Once again, a weekend series provided two radically different scripts for the Dells Ducks junior hockey team although the end results were similar in Wisconsin Rapids against the host Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings. 

After dropping a 7-2 decision Friday night, the Ducks returned to Rapids Saturday and fell 6-2 to wrap up a tough weekend. 

On Friday (Nov. 10) the Ducks came out of the opening period even in a scoreless draw, but a closer look showed another dazzling effort from Anthony Falzone who kicked out all 20 shots he faced as the Ducks were outshot 20-8. 

Inspired by a big crowd at their home opener, the Riverkings ramped it up again in the middle period, firing 29 shots but it was the Ducks on the board first as Lucas Epperson notched his first of the year, from Alic Schuster. 

That goal came 5:46 into the frame and the home side found the mesh for the first time exactly a minute later, adding two more 94 seconds apart in the second half of the frame.  

Schuster collected his sixth goal and second point of the game to get the Ducks within one 33 seconds from the end of the period on a feed from Braydan Kirchmann, but the Riverkings responded again 22 seconds later and carried a 4-2 cushion into the final 20. 

It’s been a couple seasons since Falzone has faced that type of barrage in goal and Head Coach Anthony Rohde had no choice but a merciful exit after another goal 7:15 into the third with the Riverkings on their way to a 68-shot barrage.  

An exhausted Falzone faced 59, allowing five before Juan Aguilar came on for the final 12:45 of the contest.  

Saturday night was different in the way the game started as the Ducks trailed by the end of the second minute and entered the second period down 4-0 despite a moderately closer 17-9 margin in shots. 

John Scott and Jack Kopfstein cut the margin in half with goals in the opening seven minutes of the second period, but the Riverkings added one before the end of the second and a clincher halfway through the final period.  

Assists on the Ducks’ goals went to Martin Sorelli, his first point as a Duck, Ashot Davtyan, Austin Holmberg and Reece Atkins.  

The Ducks sent three goaltenders to the crease, beginning with Falzone and followed by Michael Carden and Jack Freiberger, the latter kicking out 13 of 14 through the final 13:08 of the contest.  

The losses extend the Ducks to a three-game losing streak and overall, the record drops to 4-13-1-1. As a result of the losses the Premier Midwest-West Division’s bottom three – Isanti Outlaws (5-13-1 – 11 points), Minnesota Mullets (5-13-0-0 – 10 points) and Ducks (4-13-1-1 – 10 points) are seeing the top six move away as Steele County Blades moved to 7-6-2-1 for 17 points in sixth place. 

NEXT — DETROIT SHOWCASE

This week the Ducks will travel to Detroit for their second and final League Showcase at the Mount Clemens Ice Arena. 

The team will begin Friday with a pair of games, against the Buffalo Stampede and MJDP, then play the Cincinnati Cyclones early Saturday before wrapping up against the Chicago Crush on Sunday. The Outlaws and Mullets will both not be attending this one so it will be vital for the Ducks to take advantage of the opportunity. 

Later in the week this space will feature a preview of all four games as the Ducks look to make a major move once again at a Showcase event.  

Ducks Quacks — OG Ducks player and former teammate of Coach Rohde, Ryan Devine collected his first point of the season with the Kansas City Mavericks recently against the Allen Americans.

Devine signed with the Mavs in the ECHL over the summer after playing parts of the previous seven seasons with teams in the Federal League and the SPHL along with a brief stint in Slovakia.

Badger Lightning varsity highlights busy weekend

Pierce Park Pavilion will once again get maximum use this weekend with league and varsity games interspersed with Ultimate Tournament encounters.

On Saturday the day will kick off with rematches of the previous weekend Mite tests — the U6 group taking on the Sauk Prairie Flyers mites at 9 a.m. followed at 10:15 a.m. by the U8 mites.

At 11:30 a.m. the Bantam Thunderbirds will play host to the Beloit ‘B’ Bantams and at 1:30 p.m. the Peewee Thunderbirds will take on the Lake City 14U ‘B’ Whitecaps.

On Sunday a pair of teams will hit the road, the Bantam Thunderbirds traveling to West Salem for a 10:45 am. puck drop while the peewees head to Sparta for a noon faceoff against the Tomah/Sparta Titans, followed by another game against the same team at 3:45 p.m.

At 3:15 p.m. the Badger Lightning 10U Girls will play host to the Sauk Monkeys 10U ‘B’ squad at Pierce Park.