By Jim den Hollander Editor/Publisher Saukhockey.info Sauk Prairie Eagles junior Colin Harrington opened and closed the scoring, leading his team to a 4-2 win at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) on Tuesday (Dec. 13).
Playing on home ice for the first time since Nov. 29 and just the second time in eight regular season games, the Eagles and Cheesemakers played through a scoreless first period before Harrington opened the scoring just nine seconds shy of the 10-minute mark in the middle period. Senior Luke Mast and freshman Landon Froese picked up the assists, but the lead lasted just 1:50 before junior Wyatt Janecke evened the score for the Cheesemakers. Froese notched an unassisted goal just 18 seconds later to put the home team in front once again. Cash Anderson pulled the Cheesemakers even again 1:33 into the final period but the Eagles responded quickly again, Mast sinking the game winner on a feed from sophomore Gunnar Nachreiner 26 seconds later. Harrington added the insurance marker exactly a minute after Mast’s goal with assists for Mast and junior Garret Mittelsteadt.
Senior goaltender Brooks McInerney picked up the win for the Eagles stopping 23 of 25 and senior Xander Obert kicked out 29 in goal for the Cheesemakers. The win boosted the Eagles to 7-2 overall and helped them stay close to the front running Madison Edgewood Crusaders in conference play, the Eagles now 4-1 at the halfway mark of the schedule. Next up for the Eagles is a return match with the Oregon Panthers on Thursday night. The Eagles defeated the Panthers 4-2 on home ice Nov. 29 and make the trek to Oregon Thursday to begin the second half of its conference schedule. The Panthers enter the game 4-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
By Jim den Hollander Editor/Publisher Saukhockey.info The Madison Edgewood Crusaders doubled the RWD Cheavers 4-2 with what might have been a knockout punch to the team’s Conference championship hopes, Tuesday (Dec. 13) at Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA).
After a scoreless opening period, the Crusaders held a 2-1 margin in both the second and third to wrap up the win, the final goal scored 52 seconds from the final buzzer into an empty cage. The empty netter wrapped up a hat trick for Crusaders’ sophomore David Halbleib. RWD goals came from seniors Lukas Vana and Logan DeMars with an assist for John Scott, continuing a six-game scoring streak for the senior and team leading scorer. Sophomore goaltender Alex Griebe kept RWD in the contest, stopping all nine shots he faced in the opening period as the locals were outshot 9-2. Overall, the goaltender stopped 26 of 29 while sophomore Hayden Reuhl stopped 13 of 15 for the Crusaders.
The loss dropped the Cheavers to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Badger West conference play. They will wrap up the first half of its conference schedule at RACA against the Monroe Cheesemakers.
The first of two annual meetings refueling the RWD Cheavers vs. Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds rivalry wrapped up Saturday (Dec. 10) at Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo and went to the Cheavers 5-0.
John Scott, pictured here in a game earlier this season, picked up a natural hat trick with three second period goals against the Baraboo-Portage Thunderbirds at Pierce Park Pavilion Saturday (Dec. 10). Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer
A pair of sophomore goaltenders continued awesome campaigns, Alex Griebe earning his first varsity shutout for the Cheavers while Burke Schweda turned in another awesome performance, stopping 42 of 47 albeit once again in a losing cause.
The Thunderbirds have scored just two goals this season and this game marked the fifth time the team has had a shutout hung on it.
The Cheavers got another big game from senior John Scott who notched a hat trick while juniors Iszak Elder and Brady Baldwin counted the other goals, Elder and senior defender Logan DeMars both collected a couple assists as well.
Other assists came from junior Trey Lariden, senior Lukas Vana and freshman RJ Manley.
Elder’s goal was the game winner, scored just past the seven-minute mark of the opening period before Scott contributed a natural hatty, all three coming in the second frame. Baldwin rounded it out with the lone final period tally, 5:28 into the frame.
Both teams entered the contest without a conference win and desperate to get on track. The Cheavers boosted its conference record to 1-2 and its overall mark to 3-3 and the Thunderbirds remain winless in seven and have dropped four Badger West contests.
Both will be in action Tuesday, the Cheavers facing defending conference champion Madison Edgewood Crusaders at Reedsburg Area Community Arena and the Thunderbirds hit the halfway mark in conference at Oregon against the host Panthers.
Goaltender Alex Griebe, pictured here in a game earlier this season, stopped all 12 shots fired at him Saturday (Dec. 10) to collect his first varsity shutout against the Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds at PIerce Park Pavilion. Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer
Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds junior Luke Schweda snapped a stretch of more than four games without a goal when he converted a feed from freshman Thomas Sarnow Tuesday (Dec. 6) at State Line Ice Arena (SLICE).
Unfortunately, the lone goal of the middle period wasn’t enough to stay with the Cheesemakers who collected their first ever Badger West Conference win with a 4-1 decision.
The host Cheesemakers scored twice in the opening period, juniors Ethan Rosenstiel and Wyatt Janecke pulled the trigger before Schweda notched the first Thunderbirds goal since the season opening game late in the second period.
Janecke added a clincher 7:07 into the final period and senior Seth Brandt padded the margin just over a minute later.
Shots on goal were not kept for the game which is a shame as Thunderbirds sophomore goaltender Burke Schweda may be on track for facing the most shots in the state this season.
Thunderbirds fell to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the Badger West with the loss and will face a tough challenge on Pierce Park Pavilion Saturday when the RWD Cheavers (2-3, 0-2 Badger West) pay a visit.
A battle of the last two undefeated teams in the Badger West Conference at Le Bahn Arena in Madison Thursday totally lived up to expectations.
The Madison Edgewood Crusaders managed to stay undefeated in league play since the Badger West was formed at the beginning of last season, but thanks to some standout goaltending from Sauk Prairie Eagles’ senior Kaden Stracke, it was far from easy.
Stracke stopped all 43 shots sent his direction in Madison before sophomore Dylan Lenz found a way past him 2:38 into overtime, lifting the host side to a 1-0 win. Crusaders’ junior Rowan White kicked out all 26 he saw to collect the shutout and push the Edgewood side to 3-0 in conference play this season.
Meanwhile, the Eagles fell to 3-1 in conference play and 5-2 overall with the end of a four-game winning streak.
The Crusaders held the edge in shots in each period, but never dominated in a wide-open contest. After a 13-8 margin through the opening 17 minutes, both teams put on after-burners in a 28-shot second period, 16 for the home team. Edgewood controlled the third period with a 12-6 edge and all three overtime shots came off Crusader sticks.
The Eagles will look to break back into the win column on Tuesday (Dec. 13) when they host Monroe Cheesemakers who are also 5-2 on the season so far but 1-2 in conference contests.
The game will bring the end of a four-game road trek for the Eagles and just the second game at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) this season. It will be a short-lived respite though with the Eagles back on the road for games in Oregon Thursday and McFarland Dec. 20 before wrapping up the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule back at SPARC Dec. 22 against DeForest.
Circle Jan. 19 on calendars as the Crusaders will visit SPARC for the return match in what is shaping up to be a critical Badger West contest.
Caden Stracke, shown here in an earlier game in Reedsburg, stopped 43 of 44 shots at LeBahn Ice Arena in Madison before the host Edgewood Crusaders found a way past for a 1-0 overtime win on Thursday (Dec. 8). Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer
The Dells Ducks have enjoyed a nice turnaround to its regular season of late but one thing remains the same.
Fogerty Ice Arena is no fun for them.
Coming into a weekend set with the host Minnesota Moose riding a modest two-game winning streak and looking much better of late, the Moose brushed them aside in the first of two games by an 11-1 score. The following night the Ducks came out looking to turn the tables and led 2-1 late in the game in what would have been its biggest victory in several seasons.
But the Moose, a team the Ducks have never defeated, spoiled the day for them again, tying the game with 3:30 to play and snatching the win away just over a minute later.
The Moose fired two more in the game’s final minute, the first into an empty goal to rub a bit more salt into the wound, wrapping up a 5-2 win.
Despite the tough losses in Blaine, a win in the Twin Cities Thursday night against the Minnesota Mullets widened the Ducks in the final playoff position and the ninth place Mullets who wrapped an 0-3 weekend.
HIghlights of Thursday included another win in goal for Chris Mazurek (‘03/Batavia, IL) as he stopped 26 of 28 Mullets’ shots and Austin Holmberg (‘03/Amery, WI) fired the game winner early in the final period. Holmberg’s goal was the first of three helping the Ducks rally back from a 2-1 deficit for a 4-2 win.
Friday’s game was a mismatch from the opening faceoff as the host Moose peppered Anthony Falzone (‘03/St. Charles, IL) and Jadon Mammen (‘04/Grapevine, TX) with a combined 68 shots including the game winner notched before the halfway mark of the opening period.
MIkel Ferran Cobo (‘02/Curernabaca, Mexico), a former Moose player fired his third goal since joining the Ducks just before Thanksgiving, the lone bright spot on an otherwise rough night.
If the Ducks were down after the loss to the Moose, it didn’t show Saturday as the team came out looking to prove something in its fourth and final meeting of the season with the Blaine-based squad.
Moose got on the board with the lone goal of the first period but defenseman Jack Kopfstein (‘05/Vista, CA) responded with the lone second period tally.
Mazurek turned in his best outing of the season, kicking out 45 of 46 to keep the game even after 40 despite a 46-17 margin for the home side on the shot counter.
A brilliant neutral zone takeaway sent Bryce Jacobsen in alone and he buried a go-ahead goal right after the Ducks killed a minor penalty with just under four minutes goal in the third giving the Ducks their first lead of the season against the Moose.
The Moose kept up its barrage against Mazurek until netting the equalizer just 3:30 from the final buzzer and breaking Ducks hearts with the game winner just over a minute later. The clincher was slid into an empty net and the Moose fired one more meaningless goal with four seconds to play.
The Ducks will be hoping the goaltending effort of Mazurek who should be the Goaltender of the Week for the division, will give them momentum as they head to the Windy City Thursday for its third and final Showcase event of the season.
The Ducks will start out Thursday at 12:40 p.m. (CST) at the Canlan Arena in Romeoville against the Chicago Cougars who they played in a couple of pre-season exhibition contests in Lake Delton. The Cougars are from the Midwest-East Division.
On Friday the Ducks will face two opponents at the Leafs Center in Elgin, IL. First up is the Cincinnati Cyclones from the Great Lakes Division at 10:10 a.m. and later they will play the MHC club, made up of Metro Jets players, also from the Great Lakes Division.
Wrapping up the pre-Christmas portion of its schedule, the Ducks will return to Romeoville Saturday to play the Northern Colorado Eagles from the Mountain Division at 7:50 p.m. Because the games are being played in a tournament format, starting times may not be exact.
After the Showcase, players will scatter around the globe to celebrate the holiday with their respective families, then return to prepare for its first home series since November Steele County Blades pay a visit to the Lake Delton Ice Arena Jan. 7-8, 2023.
Those games will kick off the 13-game homestretch for the Ducks who will wrap up the regular season on Feb. 26.
Logan Potts’ goal with under three minutes to play put Dells Ducks up 3-2 and an empty netter later clinched a 4-2 win at Augsburg University Ice Arena in the Twin Cities, kicking off a busy weekend.
The win was the second straight against the Mullets and boosted Ducks’ overall record to 6-16-2-1 for 15 points, now four points up on the Mullies who have played two fewer games.
While the object in the rearview mirror is getting a bit smaller, the Ducks can see the pack of seven in front of them a little clearer now as well.
With Friday and Saturday games in Blaine, MN in front of them against the Minnesota Moose, the Ducks sit just two points behind the sixth place Minnesota Blue Ox, albeit with a slew of extra games played, but a solid showing in the final half dozen games before the Christmas Break could see the team inch a bit closer.
Suddenly, Head Coach Anthony Rohde’s bold prediction that his team is looking for a top four spot and home ice advantage in the opening round of playoffs – while still a longshot currently – suddenly starts to look a little more realstic.
Ducks scored first, Jaxson Armstrong (‘05/Kimberley, BC) slamming it home from Jackson Jones (‘04/Bloomer, WI) and Alex Grove (‘02/Waldorf, MD) and that lead carried into the middle period when the host Mullets fired a pair to snatch the lead away.
The Ducks pulled even again with 7:47 to play in the contest, Austin Holmberg (‘03/Amery, WI) burying one with help from Potts (‘03/Allen, TX) and Jack Kopfstein (‘05/Vista, CA), setting the stage for Potts who slammed in the rebound of a shot by Ethan Matthews (‘02/South Bend, IN) on a play started by Adam Brown (‘02/Westmont, IL)
The Mullets pulled their goaltender and tried to apply pressure in the final minutes but Braydan Kirchmann (‘04/Waterloo, IA) ended the threat sinking an empty net goal 34 seconds from the buzzer with an empty net goal assisted by Ryan Hammer (‘05/Wheaton, IL) and Kopfstein.
Chris Mazurek (‘03/Batavia, IL) stopped 26 of 28 to pick up the win in goal.
The win pushed the Ducks to 2-0 against the Mullets this season with a pair of road wins. The series will continue Jan. 29 at the Lake Delton Ice Arena and the final game of the regular season on Feb. 26, also in Lake Delton.
The Ducks hope to continue the latest streak, but it will be tough as they move on to Fogerty Ice Arena in Blaine, MN., perhaps the unfriendliest rink they have ever played in, whether its against the host Minnesota Moose or at the annual Showcase tournament there.
The Ducks will play the Moose at 7:05 CST Friday and Saturday night at Fogerty. They previously dropped a pair against the Moose in Lake Delton, 6-1 on Oct. 2, during their opening weekend and the other 3-0 a week later.
By JIm den Hollander Editor/Publisher Saukhockey.info The Sauk Prairie Eagles stayed undefeated in Badger West Conference play as Landon Clary notched an overtime game winner lifting the guests to a 4-3 win Tuesday night at Reedsburg Area Community Arena.
While the win boosted the Eagles to 3-0 in conference matches and 5-1 overall, the host RWD Cheavers fell under .500 at 2-3 and 0-2 in Conference — both league losses coming in overtime. Both teams are looking to find their way without their top offensive threats as seniors Caden Brandt of the Cheavers and Luke Mast of the Eagles are both out with injuries. The loss of Brandt might not be as permanent though as tests after the game in Oregon found a bad sprain opposed a broken or fractured bone.
In this game, the Eagles went to work early, junior Garret Mittelsteadt connecting for the first goal of the night in the second minute, from junior Karsyn Banta and Colin Harrington. Senior Blake Howery added another for the Eagles from junior Steven Romaker just before the 10-minute mark, but RWD sophomore Kaden Uminski struck back just 35 seconds later converting a feed from freshman RJ Manley to get the Cheavers within a goal. That held up until late in the middle period when RWD senior John Scott notched his fourth of the season, unassisted to even the score. Sophomore Gunnar Nachreiner put the Eagles in front again before the end of the period with help from Harrington and freshman Landon Froese. Senior defenseman Lukas Vana scored the lone third period goal from junior Brady Baldwin setting the stage for the overtime frame. Senior Landon Clary stepped up as the overtime hero for the Eagles with his unassisted goal in the sixth minute.
Senior Kaden Stracke collected the win in goal for the Eagles, his fourth of the season with 25 saves on 28 shots while sophomore Alex Griebe kicked out 23 shots for the Cheavers. The Eagles have played all but one game so far this season on the road and will get a chance to face one more tough road test Thursday at LeBahn Arena in Madison when they square off with the Madison Edgewood Crusaders. This game has added importance as the Eagles and defending conference champion Crusaders are the lone undefeated teams in conference — the Eagles at 3-0 and the Crusaders with two wins. The Eagles will finally play in front of friendly fans on Tuesday (Dec. 13) when they host the Monroe Cheesemakers at the Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) but then head on the road for another pair. The Cheavers will look to get their own conference season on track Saturday when they travel to Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo for a 7 p.m. faceoff against the host Thunderbirds, then return home for a Tuesday night contest against the Crusaders and a Friday game against the Cheesemakers, taking them to the halfway mark of their Badger West Conference schedule.
By JIm den Hollander Editor/Publisher Saukhockey.info The Badger Lightning varsity hockey team continues to rewrite history every time it steps on the ice in what is becoming a dream season. The Lightning continued a four-game winning streak, improved to 4-1 on the season and were led once again by junior goaltender Allysa Gada who hung her third shutout of the season as the local side collected a 2-0 shutout right in Sun Prairie against the rival Cap City Cougars.
Seniors Kayla Capener (4) and Bella Bowden (1) celebrate the first and game winning goal at Sun Prairie Saturday. Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer
Rival might not be exactly accurate as – entering the game – the Cougars had an overall 20-1 record against the Lightning, not including a 3-0 win to eliminate Lightning from the post season last February.
Last and only previous time the Lightning collected a win against the Cougars was more than a decade ago, Jan. 12, 2012. To get an idea of how long ago that occured, the goal scorers in the match were Leigh Stawinoga, Hannah Juckett and Rachel Pawlak. This time around was no fluke either as the Lightning triggered nine shots each period and outshot its host 27-19. Teams played through a scoreless opening period before senior captain Kayla Capener notched the game winner from junior Reese Olson. While Capener is closing in on being the team’s all-time leading scorer she also picked up an assist on an insurance goal, the first varsity goal for first year Kyran Merrell about 10-minutes later.
That was more than enough for Gada who stopped all 19 shots faced including 10 in the final period when the home outshot the Lightning 10-9. The shutout is the third of the season but more impressive, the second straight for Gada who has gone 114:46 without being beat — the last goal coming early in the third period in Wisconsin Rapids where the Lightning rallied back from an early deficit for a 4-3 win. Equally as impressive, the Lightning is doing most of this on the road. Now 4-1 on the season, the last three have all come away from friendly fans. The Lightning will look to continue its streak and awesome start to the conference season when they welcome the 3-1 (2-0) Rock County Fury Friday at Pierce Park Pavilion. With previous wins against Beaver Dam and the Icebergs, the Lightning are 3-0 in the conference and will play both the Metro Lynx and Viroqua Blackhawks as well as a return match with the Fury, before the Christmas Break. This is easily the best start to the conference season ever for the Lightning and if they can rattle off another win Friday against the Fury it might not be too early for talk of the team’s first ever Badger Conference title.
Kyran Merrell was mobbed by teammates including senior Lily McPherson (9) and sophomore Kayla Garbacz (5) after scoring the first of what should be many goals as a member of the Badger Lightning varsity squad. Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer.Alyssa Gada makes one of her 19 saves Saturday in Sun Prairie. Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer
The Badger Lightning continued a solid start to the 2022-23 WIAA regular season and made a little history with a dominating effort in Stoughton Saturday afternoon.
With likely the most impressive offensive effort in team history, the Lightning pounded more than 60 shots at the host Icebergs’ goal at the Mandt Community Center, racking up a 4-0 shutout win.
For a second straight game, the Lightning came up with a ‘Dub’ against a team it hadn’t defeated in several seasons.
The Icebergs, a co-operative effort of schools from several Madison area schools has been matched with the Lightning in the Badger Conference since it started, but coming into this one, the Icebergs held a 15-4-1 edge against the locals including eight straight wins dating back to Jan. 4, 2017. Incidentally, the Lightning won that one 3-2 with all goals, including the overtime game winner coming off the stick of Lizzie Patton.
This time around senior defender Eryn Benson notched the only goal needed by the Lightning before the end of the game’s first minute. Senior Kayla Capener collected an assist on the goal.
First-year Ryleigh Bychinski collected her first varsity goal unassisted later in the period and the Lightning carried a 2-0 lead out of the frame.
Eryn Benson
Sophomore Audrey Hanko notched the lone middle period tally with help from seniors Bella Bowden and Capener and the final goal came from Capener with an assist from sophomore Reese Olson.
By far the busiest player in this game was Icebergs’ goaltender Aven Gruner who stopped 59 of 63 shots and held the Lightning to a single second period goal despite and overwhelming 31-2 margin on the shot counter.
Meanwhile, junior Alyssa Gada is putting together an amazing season herself, collecting her second shutout in four games so far. While the 13 shots faced doesn’t sound scary, many feel it is tougher for goaltenders to be not as busy in a contest as they can get cold. Gada has allowed just nine goals in four games. Take away a rough start against Arrowheaed and that number falls to three goals against in her past three games with 54 saves on 57 shots.
Thunder is 3-1 overall and 2-0 in Badger Conference matches now and looks to keep the torch held high when they hit the road Monday (Dec. 5) for a game at Sun Prairie Ice Arena looking to end another long skid against the Cap City Cougars.
Local fans will get their chance to see the Lightning in action Friday at Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo with yet another conference tilt, against the Rock County Fury. That will be the first of three straight home games for the local squad.
Ryleigh Bychinski (28) scored her first varsity goal for the Lightning. Photo Courtesy Jessica Othmer
Sauk Hockey 