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Deanovich stars as Warbirds finish strong over USM

By Michael Trzinski, Executive Editor, 02/24/18, 8:00AM CST

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Junior defenseman scores hat trick in 5-2 win


The University School Wildcats and Warbirds/Beaver Dam played a fairly even first period, other than the fact that USM held a 12-6 shot edge. The 1-1 score belied that fact.

But the rest of contest belonged to the Warbirds as they cruised to a 5-2 victory Friday evening on Rink 1 at the Cornerstone Community Center in girls Sectional 4 final action.

Drew Deanovich got W/BD on the board first with a rebound goal with just under ten minutes left in the first.

USM came back to tie the game two minutes later on Karly Lamoreaux's conversion of a Lexie Epperson pass from behind the net.

The Warbirds scored the only two goals of the middle period to take a 3-1 lead.

While on a power play, Deanovich tried to hit Alyssa Heim with a backdoor pass but missed. Heim was able to corral the bouncing puck and slipped the puck past USM goalie Julianna Strother to give W/BD a 2-1 lead. That goal came at the 1:22 mark.

Freshman Rachel Bolin added to the lead when she scored from the low left side with just over six minutes left to play in the stanza. Deanovich earned her second assist on the play.

In the period, Strother made six saves, while Warbirds goalie Abby Okon stopped all four shots that she faced.

Okon proved her 'net' worth early in the third as she stopped separate forays by Megan McPike and Jordan Bonk in the first four minutes of play to keep the 3-1 lead intact.

The Wildcats had a power play chance at the five minute mark, and if they didn't have bad luck, they wouldn't have any luck at all as a shot bounced off the crossbar and lay tantalizingly in the crease for what seemed like seconds before Okon covered it, negating a scoring chance.

WiPH Game Summaries

With under seven minutes left to play, USM failed to cash in on a power play opportunity, but they would succeed shortly after to cut the lead to 3-2.

Jenna Klenz grabbed a loose puck and sent it into the net from the left dot for an unassisted goal with 3:13 left in the period.

USM coach Dan Carey took a time out with 2:23 left and as the players returned to the ice, Strother took a seat on the bench in favor of an extra skater.

After that, everything turned upside down for the Wildcats. Deanovich found the puck just inside her defensive zone, and spun, sending a shot that hit the back of the net for a 4-2 lead.

Twenty-one seconds later, Deanovich capped off her hat trick (and five point game) with help from Hattie Verstegen to account for the final score of 5-2.

Okon stopped nine shots in the period and finished with 24 saves. Strother had three stops in the period and ended with a game total of 14.