Mast and 16U TW split four at USHL Showcase

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

After a solid 2-0 start, the Team Wisconsin 16U team stumbled a bit through its final two games in the Pittsburgh area this past weekend (Jan. 24-26) wrapping up a 2-2 weekend.

The team played in three different arenas as part of the United States Hockey League’s season opening Showcase tournament. An event that attracted junior, college and professional scouts to the City of Bridges.

Playing on Team Wisconsin for a third season is Luke Mast, an incoming junior on the Sauk Prairie Eagles varsity hockey team beginning in November.

TW opened with a 9-1 whipping of Gilmour Academy, from Ohio on Saturday (September 25, 2021) and returned Sunday morning for a 2-1 edge against the Rhode Island Saints in overtime.

Later Sunday, Team Wisconsin played the same Florida Alliance squad it opened season play with back in August. Florida collected a 7-5 win in the opener but teams played a different style of match this time around, Florida ultimately taking the win by a 2-1 margin.

On Monday, TW lined up against the South Kent Selects, wrapping up the weekend with another tough one-goal loss, this time by a 3-2 margin.

Team Wisconsin 9 Gilmour Academy 1

Team Wisconsin grabbed control of this one with four unanswered first period goals and added another four before Gilmour Academy finally hit the board with the only shot of 16to beat Devin Schutt (Sophomore – Arrowhead Warhawks) in goal for TW.

Kyle Rohrer (Sophomore – Oregon Panthers) enjoyed a huge game for Team Wisconsin with three goals and two assists and Talan Blanck (St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers) picked up three assists. Other TW goals came from: Carsen Gause (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Red Raiders); Reece Cordray (Verona Wildcats); Carson Strapon (Sophomore – Hudson Raiders); Adam Timm (Sophomore – Rice Lake Warriors); Brody Dietz (Hudson Raiders) and Brenden Gruber (Sophomore – Notre Dame Academy Tritons).

Team Wisconsin 2 Rhode Island Saints 1

A first period goal had the Saints in control until Jack McGregor (Freshman – University School of Milwaukee) evened it with 3:32 to play in the contest.

That set the stage for Timm and the overtime game winner scored at 4:53.

Hayden Rising (Sophomore – St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers) kicked out 19 of 20 shots to collect the win in goal for TW.

Florida Alliance 2 Team Wisconsin 1

After combining on a dozen goals a month prior, defense was clearly the dominant player in this contest. Mast opened the scoring for Team Wisconsin in the game’s fourth minute but teams were even after a period, Florida grabbing its first and only lead 7:30 into the final period.

South Kent Selects 3 Team Wisconsin 2

Team Wisconsin battled back twice from a one-goal deficit, but the third time was the charm for the Selects.

Down 1-0 after a period, Brady Engelkes (Middleton Cardinals) evened it 7:39 into the second period. South Kent moved in front again just over two minutes later and this time it was Strapon pulling the trigger on the equalizer with 4:01 to go in the period.

The tie was once again short-lived as the Selects moved in front to stay 48 seconds after Strapon’s goal.

Peterson and TW run into some tough competition

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Team Wisconsin 18U hockey team was the host team but sure didn’t have much of a home ice advantage this past weekend.

The team faced a couple of tough opponents in Upper Midwest High School Elite League play, battling the first place MAP South Hockey team to a 6-6 draw in its first game at Chippewa Falls Ice Arena on Friday night, but falling to the same opponent 4-1 on Saturday morning.

Next up was the Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep team who were simply too tough, handing TW a 4-1 loss Saturday and returning for a 4-2 decision on Sunday.

MAP South 6 Team Wisconsin 6

In the first game, Team Wisconsin appeared on its way to a big win, but three goals in the game’s final five minutes lifted the visiting MAP South team into a draw.

Team Wisconsin scored the game’s first three goals and never trailed in the contest.

Leading the offense was Aidan Lenz with two goals and Jon Wiebusch who set up three. Both will be seniors with the Edgewood Crusaders this fall.

Other TW goals came from Kade Smigaj (Junior – Stevens Point Panthers); Hunter Bill (Junior – Notre Dame Academy Tritons; Isaac Rentmeester (Senior – Notre Dame Academy Tritons) and Peyton Platter (Senior – Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes). Erik Peterson, a senior with the Sauk Prairie Eagles picked up an assist on the game’s third goal.

MAP South 4 Team Wisconsin 1

In the first game, Team Wisconsin appeared on its way to a big win, but three goals in the game’s final five minutes lifted the visiting MAP South team into a draw.

After leading most of the way in the first game, TW found itself down early in the rematch and never caught up. MAP carried a 3-0 lead out of the opening period and after a scoreless middle frame, both teams fired one in the third.

Josh Austin (Senior – St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers) scored the lone Team Wisconsin goal.

Shattuck St. Mary’s 5 Team Wisconsin 2

Team Wisconsin opened and closed the scoring in the opening period, but thanks to a pair of responses in between by the visitors, this game was tied at 2-2 heading to the second.

The game winner came near the halfway mark of the second and two more in the third clinched the win for Shattuck.

Wiebusch and Cody Menzel (Senior — Edgewood Crusaders) had the Team Wisconsin goals in this game.

Shattuck St. Mary’s 4 Team Wisconsin 2

The following day teams returned to a game that saw two goals in each period. Unfortunately, the first two and a 4-0 lead belonged to Shattuck with TW striking back for a pair in the third.

Smigaj and Platter fired the Team Wisconsin goals.

The rough weekend leaves Team Wisconsin with a 2-5-3 record in league play and a 6-6-3 record overall. As a result, the team has fallen to seventh place overall in the 10-team league.

Action resumes in New Hope, MN for TW this weekend beginning Saturday with the team’s first meeting against North Dakota (1-2-1), followed by another chance against MAP South (6-1-2) and then on Sunday, the first meeting with fourth place Sanford Power (5-3-2)

Player of the week honors for Ducks’ Cartland

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Dells Ducks wrapped up the midpoint of its first ~~off-week~~off week of the young season and got some good news along the way.

Jacob Cartland scored four goals in two games this past weekend and was named as the USPHL Premier Midwest-West Division Forward of the Week.

Jacob Cartland has made a great debut as a rookie with the Ducks this season. The Rookie forward has five goals and seven points in four games and was named as the USPHL Premier Midwest-West Forward of the Week — Photo Courtesy Gary Wiles.

One of the top scoring forwards in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) as a forward with Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago/Oconomowoc, Cartland has made a seamless transition to the junior game.

Playing mostly on a line with fellow rookie Caden Glamkowski, the pair have played a part on almost all 12-goals scored by the Ducks so far this season, they combined to total 16 points on the season so far.

Players have been either working towards the season or competing for the past six-weeks and will be rewarded with their first break this weekend, giving many of the Midwest players a chance to dash home to see their family, pets and taste some home cooking.

Hopefully, they get the most out of this weekend as they will return to play every weekend following until Thanksgiving – a total of 20 games, beginning with four more on home ice, then continuing with trips to the Twin Cities, Owatonna, MNMN, and Merrimack College near the border of Massachusetts and Maine.

In his meeting with the media today, Head Coach Shaun Falzone said the players have earned the break with the pace they have been on so far – two practices a day for the past several weeks and a busy weekend both on and off the ice.

The team will wrap up Friday, then return Monday to begin specific preparations for the Minnesota Moose, a perennial contender for the top spot in the division and one of the two division reps at Nationals this past season.