Thursday evening found the #4 USM Wildcats traveling to #5 Onalaska for a late night game in the Omni.  The game featured the two highest scoring WIAA girls hockey teams in the state with USM averaging 6.94 goals per game and the Hilltoppers 6.62 goals per game.  Onalaska was averaging 36.3 shots on the opponents goal per game, while the Wildcats were averaging 39.5 shots on the opponents goalie per game.

Usually when two top tier teams meet there is a little feeling out period as the game starts, but not tonight.  Nineteen seconds into the game Jacyn Reeves gave the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead with Theresa Knutson being credited with the assist.  USM answered at 5:18 with Nina Anderson scoring with Rose Revolinski assisting on the play.  Six minutes later, Onalaska regained the lead on a goal by Kyla Bantle going top shelf with Chazlyn Anderson and Taylor Monroe assisting.  An unassisted goal by Rose Revolinski tied the game at 2 with 2:54 remaining in the first period.  Jeanalyn Schindler finished the period with 11 saves for Onalaska.  USM's Jamie Hathaway had 12 saves in the period.

Freshman sensation, Nicole Unsworth gave the Wildcats the lead at 4:19 of the second period with an assist from Hannah Koniar.  Lucy Anderholm passed the puck up to Chazlyn Anderson along the left boards in the neutral zone.  Anderson skated into the offensive zone and spotted Theresa Knutson headed down the right side of the ice and made the perfect pass.  Knutson tied the game at 3 with Anderson and Anderholm assisting at 5:34.  The Wildcats regained the lead as Unsworth had the puck heading behind the Hilltoppers' net and saw Revolinski in the low slot.  She placed the puck on the stick of Revolinski who found the back of the net at the 7:16 mark.  Score at the end of two periods, USM 4 Onalaska 3.  Hathaway had 6 saves in the period, while Schindler had 9 saves in the second.

Caitlin McBride was able to increase the Wildcat lead to two, when she beat everyone to a loose puck in the defensive zone of Onalaska.  She took the puck and put it in the net at 56 seconds of the third.  Unsworth completed the scoring at 10:40 of the third period to make the score 6-3 Wildcats.  Hathaway collected 16 saves for a game total of 34, while Schindler had 6 saves for a total of 26.

USM continued on to the twin cities after the game and will play Holy Angels on Friday evening.  They will stay and play St. Louis Park on Saturday afternoon.  Onalaska will play the Stoughton Icebergs at McFarland on Saturday evening.