The University School boys’ hockey team won two out of three games in the Open Division of the prestigious Schwan’s Cup tournament in Minnesota.

After defeating Princeton High School of Princeton, MN 9-0 in the quarter finals on Tuesday, December 26th, they advanced to the semi-finals and beat Marshall High School of Marshall, MN 6-0 on Wednesday, December 27th.  In the championship game on Thursday, December 28th, the Wildcats lost to Simley High School of Simley, MN by a 3-2 score.

The Wildcats dominated Wednesday’s semi-final game against Marshall.  The outshot the Tigers 47-14.  Gordy Leech, USM’s goaltender recorded the shutout.  Robby Newton scored two goals, while Andrew Malek, Carson Mogush, Christian Blomquist and Tyler Herzberg each added a goal for the victors.

Newton got the scoring started for USM late in the first period.  Casey Roepke stopped a marshall clearing attempt just outside the Marshall blue line.  He saw Newton on the far right side and sent him a pass.  Newton roared down the right boards and from the hash marks he blistered a shot past Dominik Caspers, Marshall’s goalie, at 15:21.

The Wildcats were finally on the scoreboard, so they quickly changed their number there.  Mogush gathered up a loose puck in center ice and headed toward the Tigers’ end.  He passed the puck to the right to Blomquist who immediately regifted it.  Mogush skated into the slot and ripped a shot past Caspers at 16:23.

The Wildcats scored two goals in one shift early in the second period.  The first of these came at 5:32. Newton won a faceoff in the Tigers’ left circle.  He drew it back to Andrew Malek as Malek skated toward the slot.  From there he blasted a shot into the net, giving USM a three-goal lead.

Second later USM led by four.  From the center ice faceoff the Wildcats got the puck into the Marshall zone.  Blake Carey tracked the puck down in the right corner and centered it to Newton who one-timed a shot past Caspers at 5:47.

USM made it 5-0 late in the same period.  Blomquist tipped home a shot by Alex Thundercloud at 14:56. TJ Fenton also had an assist on the play.

Herzberg scored USM’s final goal midway through the final period.  He raced after a defender into the right corner of the Tigers’ zone and won the puck.  He wheeled toward the net, skated in front and snapped a shot into the net at 7:23, assuring that the Wildcats would play in the championship game at the Ridder Arena in Minneapolis the next day.