T-Birds tough opening road stretch ends at Edgewood

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Coming off a pair of tough losses against Monona Grove and Waupun, the Thunderbirds wrapped up a three-game season opening road trek with what could be its toughest game of the season, opening the Badger West Conference schedule with a 10-0 loss against the host Madison Edgewood Crusaders at Le Bahn Ice Arena in Madison.

The Crusaders enter 2022-23 as the defending conference champs and rolled into the contest Monday also sporting an 0-2 record with weekend losses against defending state champion Hudson and Chippewa Falls on the road.

The Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds absorbed another tough lesson Monday, heading into a tough and busy week of WIAA action.

Once again, Thunderbirds’ goaltender Burke Schweda was a bright spot for the locals, especially early, as they came out of the opening period down 2-0 despite a 17-4 edge in shots for the home side. Unfortunately for the T-Birds, that was already half of its game total as the Crusaders rolled to a 55-8 margin overall.

Schweda has kicked out 174 shots in three games for Baraboo/Portage but because of the scores, it has likely gone unnoticed by many,

The Crusaders added five more unanswered middle period goals and sank three more in the third, led by freshman Owen Koch and sophomore David Halblieb with three goals apiece.

The good news for the Thunderbirds is the toughest road portion of its scheduled is now in the rearview mirror and the team is scheduled to play its first game in front of friendly fans tonight (Nov. 28) at Pierce Park Pavilion against Tomah/Sparta from the Mississippi Valley Conference.

A non-conference tilt, this would normally be considered a good opportunity for the Thunderbirds to break into the win column but after opening the season with a 4-2 loss against Black River Falls Tigers in its opener Friday, Tomah/Sparta took its frustrations out on the Stoughton Vikings from the Badger East 9-2 the following night. Both Tomah/Sparta games so far have been on home ice.

Thunderbirds have just one goal in three games and will be looking to get its offense on track in this one at Pierce Park Pavilion.

Thunderbirds will wrap up a four-game week and a three-game homestand with a Thursday night contest against the Janesville Blue Birds from the Big Eight Thursday before playing its first conference match on home ice Saturday against the Sauk Prairie Eagles. Tuesday and Thursday games start at 7 p.m. with the weekend contest starting at 5 p.m.

Badger West this Week

Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

BADGER WEST THIS WEEK

The Badger West Division is now one week old in WIAA Hockey play and preparing for its first week of head-to-head conference matches.

Facing tough opposition could have played a part in the division opening the season with a 7-7 record so far and the only undefeated team of the half-dozen is the Sauk Prairie Eagles who scored 15 goals in its first two contests, both wins.

Oregon Panthers picked up with three games in three days at a holiday event in Sheboygan, winning the first two by lopsided scores.

Madison Edgewood Crusaders also opened at a weekend event in Verona, grabbing a split in two games played. The Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells (RWD) Cheavers dropped an opener in Wisconsin Rapids before splitting a pair at a weekend tournament in Somerset.

The Monroe Cheesemakers got an early start, dropping a pair before grabbing its first win against Beloit Memorial and the Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds opened its regular season Saturday with a loss against Middleton Cardinals on home ice.

SAUK PRAIRIE EAGLES (2-0-0)

After opening on home ice Tuesday (Nov. 23) with a 7-5 win against the always tough Onalaska Hilltoppers, the Eagles were equally as impressive in its first road test, taking an 8-2 win at Madison Ice Arena (MIA) against the host Madison West Regents.

The Mast brothers, senior Nick (5g, 3a) and junior Luke (2g, 5a) have led the way offensively and Hakon Peterson is close behind with five points (2g, 3a).

OREGON PANTHERS (2-1-0)

The Panthers held off its start to the season until Friday, but then played three games in three days, beginning with a 7-2 win against the Brookfield Stars and a 10-0 whitewash against the Whitefish Bay Storm. The Ashwaubenon Jaguars ended the streak on Sunday with an 8-5 win against the Panthers.

With 22 goals in its first three games, the Panthers enter conference play as a team that can score consistently.

Leading the charge is junior Kyle Rohrer who slides into a share of the state scoring lead with his 18 points (6g, 12a) and sophomore Andrew Jicha (10g, 7a) is just one point behind. Joe Roemer (2g, 10a) has also been a steady contributor.

Junior Josh Kean has been in the blue paint for all three games and stopped 68 of 77 shots so far.

MADISON EDGEWOOD CRUSADERS (1-1-0)

The Crusaders also waited until the weekend to get the season underway. It doesn’t get any tougher than facing the defending state champ in the opener as the Crusaders dropped a 7-2 decision against the Hudson Raiders Friday but rallying back with a 5-1 win against the Chippewa Falls Cardinals on Saturday.

Senior JJ Wiebusch has been in on five of his team’s seven goals (3g, 2a) so far and Cody Menzel has four points (2g, 2a) while senior Aidan Lenz has collected three (1g, 2a).

RWD CHEAVERS (1-2-0)

Entering the season at Wisconsin Rapids Tuesday night, the Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells/Mauston squad held a 2-0 lead early, but the Red Raiders who held a wide margin in shots finally pulled back with the game winner in a 3-2 win coming late in the contest.

From there, the Cheavers moved on to a weekend event in Somerset, dropping its opener 2-1 against the Eau Claire North Huskies Friday before finally breaking into the win column with a 5-3 margin against the host Somerset Spartans on Saturday.

Senior goaltender Cooper Oakes has been a key factor, turning aside 122 shots in three games and posting a Save Percentage of .938 out of the gate.

Offensively, junior Caden Brandt has collected six points (1g, 5a) and Brady Baldwin has picked up four (3g, 1a) while senior CJ Pfaff has been consistent with a point in all three games (1g, 2a).

MONROE CHEESEMAKERS (1-2-0)

Compared to the other teams in the Badger West, the Cheesemakers got off to a quick start, dropping a 4-2 decision to Whitefish Bay Storm on Nov. 19 and falling 8-3 against the Middleton Cardinals on Tuesday before finally breaking into the win column with a 4-2 doubling of the Beloit Memorial Purple Knights.

All three games were played on the road and the Cheesemakers have one more road test before finally playing on home ice.

Senior Blaze Janecke has been a bright spot in the lineup for the Cheesemakers in on six (5g, 1a) of the team’s nine goals and sophomore goaltender Kyle Theorin backstopped the win, stopping all but two of the 42 shots he faced in Beloit.

BARABOO/PORTAGE THUNDERBIRDS (0-1)

Thunderbirds were the final Badger West team to hit the ice, dropping a 7-0 shutout against the Middleton Cardinals Saturday night at Pierce Park Pavilion in Baraboo.

Senior goaltender Andrew Schaetzl was the busiest man in the game facing 46 shots and stopping 39.

Conference matches ahead

All six teams will enter the Badger West Conference fray this week, but a few teams will have another test along the way.

On Tuesday night, the RWD Cheavers will entertain the Onalaska Hilltoppers while the Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds travel to Tomah/Sparta.

The Cheesemakers will be at Sauk Prairie Area Recreation Center (SPARC) for its fourth straight road test Thursday night and the Baraboo/Portage Thunderbirds will face its first conference test at Oregon Ice Arena against the host Panthers.

On Friday, the final two teams will match up as the Madison Edgewood Crusaders will make the trip to Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA) against the host Cheavers. Also Friday, the Panthers will play host to the McFarland Spartans in a non-conference match.

The week will wrap up with a pair of non-conference battles as Monroe Cheesemakers finally play in front of friendly fans at State Line Ice and Community Expo (SLICE) against the KMMO (Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago/Oconomowoc) hockey club while the Madison Edgewood Crusaders travel across town to Hartmeyer Ice Arena to tangle with the Madison Memorial Spartans.

Team Wisconsin 18U in Elite League skid

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Erik Peterson from the Sauk Prairie Eagles and his Team Wisconsin 18U temmates endured another tough weekend in Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League action this past weekend.

Returning to New Hope, MN, TW suffered a 4-3 loss in its first of three weekend games, against Team North Dakota, then battled first place MAP South Hockey to a 3-3 draw before falling once again 6-5 against Sanford Power.

Team Wisconsin 3 Team North Dakota 4

In its first meeting with the North Dakota squad, Team Wisconsin found itself trailing 3-1 after a period, but even at 3-3 halfway through the second.

A late middle period goal had North Dakota up again. TW rallied to tie it again with 9:42 to play but North Dakota pulled in front to stay with 6:04 to go.
Parker Murn (Senior – Edgewood Crusaders); Jon (JJ) Wiebusch (Senior – Edgewood Crusaders); Isaac Rentmeester (Senor – Notre Dame Tritons) and Cody Menzel (Senior – Edgewood Crusaders) scored the Team Wisconsin goals.

Team Wisconsin 3 MAP South Hockey 3

This should have been a momentum building tie, not just because it came against the league’s top team, but because Team Wisconsin battled back from a 3-0 deficit early in the second period.

The three TW goals came in a span of 6:03 before the halfway mark of the middle frame, scored by Rentmeester, Hunter Bill (Junior – Notre Dame Tritons) and Ian Engel (Senior — Neenah/Hortonville/Menasha Rockets)

Team Wisconsin 5 Sanford Power 6

A back and forth contest Sanford on the board first but TW up 2-1 early in the second period. Three straight had Sanford up 4-2 after two periods and they increased it to 5-2 in the middle part of the third period.

Two goals in 1:27 had TW within a shot of tying it, but Sanford notched another into an empty net with 58 seconds to play. TW got one more with two ticks on the clock.

Tyler Dale (Senior – Waukesha Wings) scored twice for Team Wisconsin, others added by Peterson; Max Giblin (Senior – Hudson Raiders) and Engel.

With the weekend results, Team Wisconsin is now winless in seven and its overall regular season record falls to 6-8-5. In Elite League play, the team has slipped to 2-7-4 and now in eighth place in the 10-team group.

There are seven games left in regular season play for the league for Team Wisconsin who will enjoy a weekend off coming up.

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.

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.

Tie and tough loss for TW in Chicago

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The TW u-16 squad, including Luke Mast from the Sauk Prairie Eagles varsity hockey team, picked up a tie and a loss in a return to Chicago this past weekend.

The Windy City Storm played host at the Orbit Ice Arena in Palatine, Ill., where teams battled to a 3-3 draw in the first game before the Storm sent the Wisconsin crew disappointed with a 2-1 loss in the getaway contest.

In the opening match, Team Wisconsin battled back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1, a pair of goals by Adam Timm (Rice Lake Warriors) in the final seven minutes of the contest sending it to overtime.

HThe Storm was up 2-0 after the first period, Brody Dietz (Hudson Raiders) notching the lone goal of the middle period to get TW on the board.

An early third period goal for the home team set the stage for Timm’s heroics and teams played through 10-minutes of overtime without a goal scored.

Hayden Rising (St. Mary’s Springs Ledgers) stopped 29 of 32 shots faced, including three in the overtime frame.

The second game saw teams battling through a scoreless first period before Kyle Rohrer (Oregon Panthers) opened the scoring for TW in the 11^th minute of the middle period. A late second period goal tied it for the Storm and the game winner came with 4:49 to go in the final period.

Devin Schutt (Arrowhead Warhawks) stopped 19 of 21 in goal for the Wisconsin squad.

Mast contributed on the ice but didn’t pick up a point in the low scoring contests.

The holiday weekend will see the U-16 squad making the trip to the St. Louis area for a busy weekend of contests at the Centene Community Ice Center, beginning Saturday with a third straight meeting with the Windy City Storm. On Sunday, TW will take on the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes, wrapping up Monday against Carshield, the host team.