NEENAH – Coming off a disappointing 4-1 loss over the weekend, the Stars were back on the ice Monday looking to erase that from their memory. It would be another tough non-conference matchup as the Wisconsin Valley Union co-op team came to town looking to make things difficult.

With the final month of the regular season now underway, this is the time when teams want to begin to play their best hockey with hopes of carrying it into post season play. Fox Cities is no different as they won’t be the first too tell you that they can still improve in a lot of areas during the final push of the season. Despite a slow start to the game, the Stars refused to quit and continued to battle back earning the 3-3 draw in the process.

For the most part, it was a balanced game, as the Stars were outshot 24-23 in total. Despite the shots being nearly the same, it was Hattie Berndt and Pistol Cowden getting off to a strong start in goal keeping both teams off the board in the early going.  It wasn’t until the midway point in the first period when the scoring got started. With both teams at even strength, Markie Ash played the puck from Shelby Tryba to give Wisconsin Valley Union a 1-0 lead after one period of play.

The second period was a much different story for the Stars as it was their offense now going to work. With just over two minutes gone by in the second period, Hana Sobczak forced a turnover on the Wisconsin Valley Union end and put it home tying things up at 1-1. It wasn’t tied for long as the Stars offense once again went to work less than a minute later.

This time it was Victoria Nelson and Alaina Schauf leading the offensive attack and Madelynn Jablonski put it home for 2-1 stars lead. Jablonski was just getting started as the Stars offense was in full go mode now. For the second time in two minutes, Schauf found herself involved in the middle of another Fox Cities attack. It was a familiar face finishing things off as Jablonski picked up her second goal in two minutes to put the Stars in front 3-1 after two periods of play.

After a great second period put the Stars up by a pair of goals, it was Wisconsin Valley Union coming out with a different mindset in the final period of play. Still facing a two-goal deficit, Wisconsin Valley Union made things a bit closer as Ash played the Stars turnover turning into her second goal of the night cutting things to 3-2. Wisconsin Valley Union refused to quit as they kept the pressure on the Stars defense.

With the half way point in the final period vastly approaching, the momentum was beginning to swing in the favor of Wisconsin Valley Union. That led to the final goal of the game with just over three minutes remaining in the third. With both teams at even strength yet again, a Stars offense turned the puck over near their own end. That allowed Savannah Duckett to tie things up at 3-3 taking all the air out of the Stars sails. Fortunately, the Stars regrouped in the overtime period, but couldn’t manage to push another goal across settling for a heart breaking 3-3 draw.

The Stars will return to the ice today as they travel to Sun Prairie.