Ducks entertain Titans in exhibition contest

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Dells Ducks got a midweek tune-up in preparation for its second home weekend of the United States Premier Hockey League Premier Midwest-West Regular season with an exhibition game against the UW Oshkosh Titans at the Lake Delton Ice Arena.

Dells Ducks

The Titans collected a 4-1 win, carrying a 2-1 margin out of the opening period and adding two more in the third.

A surprisingly physical and chippy exhibition contest showed a Ducks team not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the older squad, but also a little more disciplined on the night. As a result, the Ducks were assessed 14 minutes in minor penalties while the Titans sat 47 minutes including a five-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct.

Trent Bachman, a former member of the Dells Ducks was a captain for the Titans and his younger brother Sam Bachman suited up for the Ducks after debuting for the team this past weekend.

The Bachman brothers squared off in an exhibition contest at Lake Delton Ice Arena Wednesday night. On the left is Trent Bachman who played with the Ducks last season with his younger brother Sam. Both are defensemen.

Oshkosh hit the scoreboard first 6:44 into the contest but Jake Cartland equalized just 94 seconds later.

The winning goal came about three minutes later. After a scoreless middle frame, the Titans clinched the win with two more down the stretch.

The Ducks will be back in action this weekend against the Chicago Cougars in their third and fourth of eight straight home games to open the regular season.

For a weekend preview, the Ducks are asking fans to join us at Bobbers Island Grill on Thursday night to support former Ducks player Colin Cross who now is a successful Nashville-based County Western musician.

Happy Birthday Jacobsen

Bryce Jacobsen was looking for a place to play last season as the DeForest Norskies suspended play for its varsity hockey team due to the pandemic restrictions, in particular in Dane County. The Ducks are so happy he came looking in the Dells area.

Jacobsen tested the ice and liked the environment with the Ducks, signing on to play the final 23 games of the season. The center was an instant fit and went to to scoring five goals and add four assists through the remainder of the season.

Back for the 2021-22 season, Jacobsen was recently named one of the four team captains and despite a rough ride on the weekend against the visiting Rum River Mallards, Jacobsen scored a goal on a penalty shot and added an assist.

On Wednesday, Jacobsen celebrated his 19th Birthday. Saukhockey.info and the Dells Ducks want to wish Jacobsen a Happy Birthday

Bryce Jacobsen (middle) celebrates a Dells Ducks goal this past weekend with teammates Logan Dineen (left) and Carter Lewis. — Photo Courtesy Gary Wiles

Locals contribute on TW Peewee Combine squads

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The local representation on Team Wisconsin has grown again with four Sauk County peewee aged players playing on two different teams in the TW Fall Combine program.

There are four teams in the 2010 group with three locals – Landen Uminski from RWD along with Sauk Prairie Eagles players Alexander Kirk and Michael Jolicoeur play on Team Black.

The other three teams are Team White, Team Red and Team Grey.

The 2009 teams has three teams including Ethan Wilcox on Team Red which competes against Team White and Team Black.

Teams went through a couple weeks of practices and entered their round robin play this past weekend.

2010 Black

The 2010 teams played at the McFarland Community Ice Arena. Team Black found the going tough with a 10-2 defeat in its opener against Team White, then rebounded with a 6-5 edge against the same team later in the day.

In the opening game, Uminski scored one of the goals and Kirk picked up an assist. The later contest saw Jolicoeur getting in on the action with a goal and assist in a game dominated by Carson Schroeder who scored four times for Team Black.

On Sunday, Team Black will move on to Fond du Lac, playing a pair of games against Team Red at the Blue Line Family Ice Center at 1 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

Team Red opened play with a 3-3 draw and a 6-4 win in Appleton last weekend.

2009 Red

Wilcox and the 2009 Team Red are in control of the play so far in the 2009 division, opening play at Oshkosh Community YMCA with a 3-1 win against Team Black followed by a 5-3 win against Team White.

Ethan Wilcox picked up an assist in the second game. He and Team Red will hit the road to South Wood County Recreation Center in Wisconsin Rapids Sunday, squaring off against Team Black at 1 p.m. followed immediately at 2:15 p.m against Team White.

Both teams will wrap up their round robin play the following weekend.

Mast, TW 16U take two of four at Minnesota tourney

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Luke Mast, a junior at Sauk Prairie High School and his Team Wisconsin 16U teammates headed to a massive tournament in Brooklyn Park, in the Twin Cities suburbs this past weekend, wrapping it up with two wins and two defeats.

After opening on Friday (September 17) with an impressive 6-1 win against Honeybaked, from the Detroit area, TW was back later the same day, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Chicago Mission. On Saturday, Team Wisconsin edged the Windy City Storm 2-1 but the tournament ended Sunday with a 5-1 loss against Little Caesar’s, another Detroit-based AAA squad.

Team Wisconsin 6 Honeybaked 1

Mast got things started in the weekend opener, scoring the first of two unanswered first period goals for Team Wisconsin. The other first period goal came from Carsen Gause (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Red Raiders).

TW added two more in the second before Honeybaked got on the board and it was a 5-1 game heg to the third.

Other Team Wisconsin goals were added by Michael McIntee (Sophomore – Notre Dame Academy Tritons); Talan Blanck (St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers); Brady Engelkes (Middleton Cardinals) and Jack Bowe (Chippewa Falls Cardinals). Devin Schutt (Sophomore – Arrowhead Tomahawks) stopped all but one of the 14 shots he faced in goal for TW.

Chicago Mission 4 Team Wisconsin 3

Teams traded first period goals in this one and it was Team Wisconsin up 2-1 heading to the third period.

Another goal in the first minute of the final period made it a two-goal margin, but the Mission responded with a goal a minute later, then the tying and winning goals in the final seven minutes of the contest.

Jack McGregor (Freshman – University School of Milwaukee Wildcats), Brody Dietz (Hudson Raiders) and Engelkes scored the Team Wisconsin goals while Adam Timm (Sophomore – Rice Lake Warriors) collected two assists.

Team Wisconsin 2 Windy City Storm 1

Saturday Team Wisconsin lined up against Windy City Storm for the fourth time this season and collected the third win rallying back from a 1-0 first period deficit with a second period goal from Engelkes and the game winner early in the third scored by McGregor.

Schutt added a second win with 17 saves on 18 shots.

Little Caesar’s 5 Team Wisconsin 1

Little Caesar’s scored in the game’s first minute and built a 3-0 cushion by the end of the first period.

Reece Cordray (Verona Wildcats) pulled one back early in the second period but that was as close as Team Wisconsin could get in this one.

TW at USHL Season Opening Showcase

This weekend will see Team Wisconsin embarking on an amazing weekend trip to Pittsburgh, playing alongside the nation’s only Tier 1 Junior Hockey League as the USHL holds a Showcase tournament to open its regular season.

Scouts from junior leagues, colleges and the National Hockey League will be on hand for this high caliber event.

Team Wisconsin will start out against Gilmour Academy from Gates Mills, Ohio at 6 p.m. Saturday at Alpha Ice Complex. On Sunday at 8 a.m. TW will play the RI Saints at 8 a.m. at Baier Ice Complex, followed with another game at 2:15 p.m. at Robert Morris University against Florida Aliance, wrapping it all up on Monday against an opponent and at a venue still to be determined.