The University School co-op girls’ hockey team defeated the DC Everest Central Wisconsin Storm co-op 5-2 on Friday in a non-conference game during the opening round of the Gobbler Cup Tournament at the Mosinee Recreation Center in Mosinee.

The Wildcats led early in the game on two goals one in the first period and another very early in the second period. But the Storm tied the game on two goals midway through the second period, a power play goal at 8:44 and an even strength goal at 12:13.  Although the Wildcats had lost two forwards and the lead, the situation left them unfazed. They could and would score more. It took just fifteen seconds for them to regain the lead, a lead they would never surrender again, a lead the Wildcats would only increase with another second period goal and a goal to cap their scoring in the third. Nicole Unsworth and Rose Revolinski each scored two goals for the Wildcats and Nina Andersen score one.

Liza Sisk, one of the Wildcats’ captains, commented, “I was really impressed by our ability to rally after adversity.  This game made me really excited for the future.  It proved we have the ability to become one.  Now we’ll all work together to bring home the Gobbler Cup tomorrow.”

Jason Woods, the Wildcats’ head coach, added, “ We battled through and won with effort.  I’m proud of the execution we displayed, even though we still have things to work on.  It was a good game; we got it done.  We’ll try to get another on Saturday.”

The Wildcats’ first goal came late in the first period. On a breakout play, Unsworth got the puck on the sideboards in the USM zone and sent it ahead to Caitlin McBride in center ice.  As McBride neared the Storm’s blue line, defenders hindered her progress.  Trailing the play with speed, Unsworth caught up. She pulled the puck away from McBride, who was protecting at the blue line.  Unsworth kept going.  She swept to the right around one defender, then to the left around another.  She had room to make another move to flabbergast the Storm’s goalie, Renee Hosler, and deposit the puck in the net at 14:55.

The score became 2-0 early in the second period. Revolinski collected a loose puck in the USM zone and took off like a drag racer at a green light.  She sped past a defender near the Storm’s blue line.  As she moved in on Hosler, Revolinski spotted an opening.  Her shot found the opening too, entering the net at 1:27.

Central Wisconsin stormed back.   The Storm moved closer on a power play. Kelly Knetter got the puck and quickly sent it behind the USM defense to Katelynn Schilling.  Schilling raced in on a breakaway, deked USM’s goaltender Liz Ostermeyer, and shot the puck into the Wildcats’ net at 8:44.

The Storm tied the game at 12:13.  The Storm maintained possession of the puck in the USM end. Taylor Treu eventually got it and moved it to Elizabeth Bauer on the right boards.  Bauer won the battle and fired a shot along the ice.  The puck snuck in the short side, eluding Ostermeyer.

The Wildcats quickly made sure there would be no more ties.  Off the ensuing face off, the puck went to the Wildcats’ defenseman, Sloan Sullivan.  Sullivan coolly sent it ahead to Revolinski on the left side.  As Revolinski skated in, Andersen joined her on a two-on-one.  Like she was sending a quick snap chat, Revolinski slipped the puck across to her teammate.  Andersen rushed past the defenseman, saw a gapping gap between the goalie and the right post, and put the puck there, giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead at 12:28.

The Wildcats were enlivened and they made sure the game was theirs after that.  The defense tightened and the forwards added two more goals.  The first of these came late in the second period.  On the play, McBride gathered in a loose puck in center ice.  The speedy winger took off down the left side and was joined in the race by Unsworth.  McBride sent the puck across to her.  Unsworth got it.  She looked and saw an opening as wide open as Santa’s bag on Christmas morning.  She fired and scored at 15:02.

The Wildcats scored their fifth and final goal at 10:25 of the third period when Revolinski stole the puck from a Storm defender and flew off on a breakaway.  As she crossed the Storm’s blue line she saw another generous gap revealed by the opposing goalie.  She seemed to say “thank you” as she whipped a wrist shoot in.

USM is 1-0 and 0-0 in the Eastern Shores Conference.  The Wildcats play The Bay Area Ice Bears on Saturday in the tournament’s championship game. The non-conference game between the two Eastern Shores conference rivals begins at 2:30 p.m.