Day: November 26, 2021

Lightning looks to continue streak against Golden Beavers

By Jim den Hollander 

Editor/Publisher 

Saukhockey.info 

The Badger Lightning varsity hockey team will open its 2021-22 WIAA varsity season Saturday (Nov. 27) with a pair of games against the Beaver Dam Golden Beavers, both at Pierce Park Pavilion.  

Teams will open play at 10 a.m. and return to the ice for a 2 p.m. start Saturday afternoon.  

The games will be the first of the season for both teams. For the Lightning it kicks off a busy opening week as they hit the road for the first time Thursday (Dec. 2), playing the Rock County Fury in Beloit, then entertains Wisconsin Valley Union on Saturday (Dec. 4). 

The Lightning has dominated the Golden Beavers in recent years, defeating them 10 straight times. In 2020-21, the teams squared off three times, the Lightning cashing in 9-1 and 9-0 wins at Pierce Park Pavilion and 8-1 at Beaver Dam Family Ice Center.  

Junior Kayla Capener came up big with hat tricks in two of the three matches and seven goals overall. Senior defender Carson Blosenski hit the net in all three games, racking up four overall and Signe Begalske chipped in a pair.  

The games will play a part in a busy opening day at Pierce Park Pavilion as the varsity boys hockey team will also play Saturday night against the Middleton Cardinals (see preview story). 

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Vella notches first pro goal in Dawgs’ victory

By Jim den Hollander 

Editor/Publisher 

Saukhockey.info 

Former Dells Ducks junior hockey team captain recorded his first professional goal recently and has found a regular spot with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). 

Chris Vella

In Illinois to play the Evansville Thunderbolts on Friday, Nov. 19, Vella scored the Dawgs’ first goal, evening the score at 1-1 in the middle period at the Ford Center. 

Vella was an apple away from a Gordie Howe hat trick as he sat a five minute major for a second period fight.  

The goal came in the team’s ninth game of the season and the Rail Yard Dawgs converted it into a 4-2 win, the team’s third straight after dropping its first six. 

Another win at Fayetteville on Wednesday added another to the string and helped the now 4-3-1-3 Dawgs climb up to seventh in league standings. The team will be looking to continue its streak with a return match against Fayetteville tonight (Saturday, Nov. 26) at the Berglund Center.  

Vella has a goal on 11 shots so far with 23 PIM and a –2 rating.