By Jim den Hollander
Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
If any rust formed during a stretch of 20 days between games, the Sauk Prairie Eagles shook it off quick in a 4-1 win against the Milton Red Hawks at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) on Thursday (Jan. 8) night.
Two goals each for juniors Micah Hansen and Erik Peterson provided the final steps on the offense, but this was a total team effort as the Eagles peppered Alex Jones, a freshman goaltender for the Red Hawks with 55 shots.
The Eagles grabbed a 2-0 first period cushion, beginning with a nice goal by Hanson from what seemed a tough angle, in close, but just inches from Jones, he managed to lift a perfect flip into the top of the goal through a small opening.
Just over three minutes later, Peterson took a perfect pass from sophomore Luke Mast and snapped a shot to the top of the net to double the Eagles’ margin. Junior Nick Mast also collected an assist on the goal.
Peterson’s second came near the halfway mark of the middle period as he slammed home a loose puck from the top of the crease. Luke Mast and senior Sam Severson collected assists.
The final Eagles’ goal came on the nicest play of the game while the Eagles squad was killing its first penalty of the contest. Nick Mast hit Hansen with a pass just outside the Eagles’ zone, sending him the final 140 feet to the Red Hawks’ goal alone where Hansen snapped home a shot over Jones’ shoulder.
Sophomore goaltender Kaden Stracke might not have been as busy as Jones, but he stopped everything he saw until Milton sophomore Colton Thorn spoiled his shutout bid 4:01 into the final frame.
In many ways the Eagles looked in mid-season form , a fast team with depth up front, they have a nose from the net, although, with the number of shots taken, Head Coach David Lohrei said the team might need to work a bit on finishing in upcoming practices.
Nick Mast’s two assists give him 11 points in four games so far this season, one point ahead of Luke Mast.
The win boosted the Eagles to 4-0 on the season and while they have had some long breaks so far, this game triggered a busy month of January with 11 more games to play in the next three weeks.
The Eagles are scheduled to make the trip to Sparta to play the Tomah/Sparta varsity team on Saturday (Jan. 9) and returns home for matches against RWD Cheavers Tuesday and Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds on Thursday.
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