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Superior steps on the gas in the third for 4-1 win

By Michael Trzinski, 01/27/13, 4:30PM CST

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Three final period goals lift Spartans past Crusaders


The Superior Spartans hopped on a bus sometime late morning/early afternoon Friday and made the 230 mile, four-hour bus ride to Marathon Park in preparation for an 8pm game against Wausau West.

The next day, more of the same, with another 100 mile, two-hour trip to Ashwaubenon to compete in the Showdown in Titletown Showcase at the Cornerstone Community Center.

So first off, excuse the Spartans players and coaching staff if they are sick of long bus rides.

Then congratulate them for getting rid of the 'bus legs' and putting together a comeback and cruising past Madison Edgewood 4-1 Saturday afternoon in a Showdown tilt.

The Edgewood Crusaders came out with some pep in their step, scoring once and outshooting the Spartans 10-4 in the first period.

The first quality scoring chance came in the middle of the period, when an Edgewood winger took the puck across the slot and tried to flip a backhander into the net, but Superior goalie Zach Reiswig said no way as he denied the opportunity for a score.

The Crusaders did put a 'one' on the scoreboard just a moment later.

Defenseman Paul Luebke pinched and grabbed a loose puck and made a couple Datsyuk-like moves and flipped a perfectly placed shot over the left shoulder of Reiswig for Edgewood's first (and final) score of the game.

In the second period, Edgewood's Tom Richards rang a shot off the left post a few minutes in. Midway through the stanza, Aaron Miller got behind the defense on a breakaway, but Crusaders goalie Charlie Bucholtz made a nice stick save to keep Superior off the scoreboard.

The Spartans went on the power play a couple minutes later and failed, then decided to see what would happen on a penalty kill.

One man down, the Spartans iced the puck and Dane Sislo beat an Edgewood player to the puck and then sent it out front to a charging Daniel Mikel, who slipped it past Bucholtz for the tying score at 11:49.

The period would end with a 7-4 Edgewood shot advantage.

The final period was scoreless until Miller skated across the slot and his shot snuck through the five hole to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.

Less than a minute later, Cole Hults' shot from the right point made it through traffic but bounced off the wrong side of the right post for Edgewood.

The game still hung in the balance until a pair of late Superior goals.

Tyler Nystrom scored on the power play at 10:55, with help from Aaron Wakefield-Zubiate and Miller to make it 3-1.

Just under two minutes later, Anthony Bronson scored for the Spartans to put the game out of reach. Wakefield-Zubiate got his second assist on the play.

The Spartans outshot Edgewood 12-6 in the period. In the game, Reiswig stopped 22 of 23 in a solid effort, while Bucholtz made 16 saves for Madison Edgewood.

WiPH Game Summaries