By Jim den Hollander
Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
RWD, Baraboo/Portage and Sauk Prairie varsity teams will all hit the tournament trail this week, seeing some different teams and getting a break from their respective conference schedules.
RWD Cheavers will once again host the annual Monk’s Cheeseburger Classic. The 12th version of the tournament will see it once again as an eight-team event after being trimmed to four last season.
The tournament has been an important launching pad for the Cheavers in past seasons. They won the first tournament and rolled from that to a state championship berth. In 2014-15, a team much like this season’s Cheavers carried a 4-3-1 record into the Monk’s tournament and turned three wins to win the title into an 18-game unbeaten streak that didn’t end until the State championship quarterfinals.
The Cheavers will begin its latest version of the tournament in the final game of the day on Dec. 28 against the River Falls Wildcats at 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile the Sauk Prairie Eagles will begin play at the annual Culver’s Cup, playing out of Hartmeyer Ice Arena and Madison Ice Arena.
The Eagles will begin at 2:45 p.m. against the Oshkosh Ice Hawks.
Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds will begin the following day at a tournament in Hartland.
Here is a little information on the local tournament and the other ones as well.
Monks’s Cheeseburger Classic
Lake Delton Ice Arena
Tuesday, Dec. 28
Game 1 — 12 p.m. — Wisconsin Rapids Red Raiders (5-3, 2-2 Wisconsin Valley) vs. La Crescent-Hokah Lancers 4-2, Minnesota Independent)
Game 2 — 2:30 p.m. — McFarland Spartans (4-5, 3-2 Badger East) vs. Onalaska Hilltoppers (3-4, 1-1 Mississippi Valley)
Game 3 — 5 p.m. — Tomah Sparta (3-5, 1-0 Mississippi Valley) vs. Kenosha Thunder (4-2, 0-1 Classic Eight)
Game 4 — 7:30 p.m. — RWD Cheavers (6-5, 3-2 Badger West) vs. River Falls Wildcats (3-5, 0-4 Big Rivers)
Wednesday, Dec. 29
Game 5 – 12 p.m. – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 6 – 2:30 p.m. — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 7 – 5 p.m. — Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 8 – 7:30 p.m. — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Thursday, Dec. 30
Game 9 – 10 a.m. — Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7
Game 10 – 12:30 p.m. — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7
Game 11 – 3 p.m. — Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8
Game 12 – 5:30 p.m. — Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8
Culver’s Cup – Varsity Boys Division
Tuesday Dec. 28 – Quarterfinals
Game 1 – 2:45 p.m. — Sauk Prairie Eagles (6-2, 2-2 Badger West) vs. Oshkosh Ice Hawks (3-4, 2-1 Badgerland) — MIA
Game 2 – 7:45 p.m. — Madison West Regents (3-7, 3-4 Big Eight) vs. Marshfield Tigers (6-3-1, 2-1 Wisconsin Valley) — MIA
Game 3 – 5:15 p.m. — Marquette Hilltoppers (6-1, 1-0 Classic Eight) vs. Madison Memorial Spartans (4-6, 3-3 Big Eight) — MIA
Game 4 – 7:45 p.m. — Ashland Oredockers (4-5, Independent) vs. Monona Grove Silver Eagles (3-5, 2-3 Badger East) — Hartmeyer
Wednesday Dec. 29 – Semi Finals
Game 5 – 12:15 p.m. — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – MIA
Game 6 – 2:45 p.m. — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – MIA
Game 7 – 5:15 p.m. — Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 – MIA
Game 8 – 7:45 p.m. — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 – MIA
Thursday, Dec. 30 – Finals
7th Place Game – 4:45 p.m. — Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7 – Hartmeyer
5th Place Game – 4:45 p.m. — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7 – MIA
3rd Place Game – 7:15 p.m. — Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8 – Hartmeyer
Championship Game – 7:15 p.m. — Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8 – MIA
Mullet Cup
Howard G. Mullet Ice Center – Hartland, WI
There will be four teams in this two-day event.
On Dec. 29, the first game will pit the Homestead Highlanders (5-5, 0-0 North Shore) against the Sheboygan Red Raiders (3-9, 0-3 Fox River) at 4:45 p.m. followed by the Baraboo-Portage Thunderbirds (2-7, 1-2 Badger West) against the Arrowhead Warhawks (6-2, 0-0 Classic Eight).
Game times and match ups for the Consolation and Championship game on Dec. 30 are still TBA as of press time.
Badger Lightning
The Lightning will not be in a tournament this season, but locals get a look at them at Pierce Park Pavilion on Wednesday at 5 p.m. when they play host to the Northern Pines Eagles at Pierce Park Pavilion wrapping up a three-game homestand.
Sauk Hockey 