The University School boys’ hockey team defeated Cedarburg 2-1 Friday night at USM.

It was a close game played cleanly and at a fast pace. The shot totals were nearly even, USM took 27 shots while Cedarburg took 26, as both USM’s junior goalkeeper Bryan Botcher and Cedarburg’s senior goalie Tyler Jansen played well.

USM’s head coach Cal Roadhouse said, “Well, it was a win. That’s the main thing. We were a bit rusty from a week off for exams, but we allowed them only one goal. Bryan played well in net, and he kept us in it. We still need to improve our scoring punch, but at least we got enough for a victory.”

The Wildcats scored the game’s first goal while cycling the puck in the Cedarburg zone. Junior Duncan Brown got it on the right side and passed it along the boards to senior defenseman Joey Judge at the blue line. Judge stepped in and blazed a low shot at Jansen’s pads. Like he was Santa stuffing unwanted coal in the goalie’s stocking, USM senior Ben Walker jammed the rebound past Jansen at 15:27 of the first period.

Cedarburg tied it midway through the second period. Junior Nick Martin sent the puck to sophomore Evan Gabel in the Wildcats’ left corner. Gabel wheeled and lined a pass to sophomore Tyler Curtis uncovered in the high slot. Curtis one-timed a shot into the net at 9:10.

USM went back ahead just over a minute later during a two-man advantage after Cedarburg had received two simultaneous penalties. The Wildcats gained control of the puck in the Cedarburg zone and began to pass it around, awaiting a power play opportunity. The puck went to sophomore defenseman Chris Keliher at the right point and he sent it across the blue line to Judge. Judge fired a shot, and junior Vadim Sukhanov redirected the incoming puck past Jansen for what proved to be the game-winning goal at 10:43 of the second period.

Neither team scored in the third period as Botcher and Jansen held sway. Cedarburg pulled Jansen for an extra skater with 1:40 left to play and got off a flurry of shots. Botcher stopped each one and the Bulldogs final fury signified nothing.

The win improved USM’s record to 5-4. The Wildcats begin play in the Joe Raymond Memorial Tournament at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 28th when they face-off with the Brookfield/Catholic Memorial co-op team at Nagawaukee Ice Arena in Hartland.