By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Team Wisconsin, including Erik Peterson, a senior with the Sauk Prairie Eagles, opened play in the Upper Midwest High School Minnesota Elite League with some tough results this past weekend.

The team notched 14 goals in three contests, but that unfortunately was only good enough for a couple one-goal defeats and a tie in the tough Before and After varsity league based in the State of Hockey.

All three matches were played at New Hope Arena, near the Twin Cities.

In the first game, TW fell 3-2 against TDS Transportation and also dropped a 7-6 decision against Kowalski’s – both games on Saturday. On Sunday, Team Wisconsin battled Twin Cities Orthopedics to a 4-4 draw.

Team Wisconsin 2 TDS Transportation 3

In the first game, Team Wisconsin trailed 2-0 early, battling back with a goal late in the first period, both teams adding one in the middle frame and skating through a scoreless third.

Aidan Lenz (Senior – Madison Edgewood Crusaders) and Tyler Dale (Senior – Waukesha Wings) fired the TW goals.

Team Wisconsin 6 Kowalski’s 7

The middle game began with a crazy eight-goal first period with multiple lead changes.

Kowalski’s fired a pair in the first three minutes of the contest before TW struck back with two in 30 seconds and added a third to grab its first lead. Kowalski’s moved in front again with a pair but Team Wisconsin evened it at 4-4 in the period’s final minute.

Kowalski’s carried a 6-5 lead out of the middle period but Team Wisconsin tied it 23 seconds into the final period, only to see Kowalski’s grab the lead for a final time late in the contest.

Jon (JJ) Wiebusch (Senior – Madison Edgewood Crusaders); Peyton Platter (Senior – Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes) and Colton Jamieson (Junior – Cretin-Durham Hall) fired two goals each for TW, Jamieson adding an assist in the contest and Josh Austin (Senior – St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers) set up a pair.

Team Wisconsin 4 Twin Cities Orthopedics 4

TW returned on Sunday and salvaged the weekend with a 4-4 draw.

The good news for Team Wisconsin was it never trailed and held a 4-0 cushion near the halfway mark of the second period. The bad news was, it all evaporated as the Doctors rallied for two in the second and two more down the stretch, tying the game with 13:57 to go.

Lenz fired a pair for TW with others for Austin and Dale. Peterson played a key role in all three contests, but didn’t show up on the game sheet.

After four straight wins to open the season, Team Wisconsin’s record now sits at 4-3-1 overall and 0-2-1 in the Elite League.

The team will be back in New Hope this weekend looking to break into the win column with three more tries.

In the first game, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Team Wisconsin will take on SIT Mutual Funds (0-3-1) at 9:30 a.m., then gets a rematch with Kowalski’s (1-1-1) at 5:30 p.m. and another chance at Twin Cities Orthopedics (2-0-2) on Sunday.